INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

250ml fresh carrot juice
125ml fresh apple juice
125ml fresh fennel juice
60ml fresh snow pea shell juice
1 clove garlic, juiced
1 jalapeño, juiced
300ml red bell pepper juice
1tbs spicy vinegar
1tbs plus 2tsp butter
Salt and pepper
60g hazelnut flour
½ tsp ground chipotle pepper
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1 egg yolk
2tbs water
4 soft-shell crabs
60g all-purpose flour
2tbs grapeseed oil
120g fresh curry leaves
120g snow pea shoots
12 orange cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
12 Ennis hazelnuts, toasted, peeled, halved

METHOD

Combine the seven juices in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat for two to three minutes. Add the spicy vinegar, whisk in 1tbs of the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Place the hazelnut, flour, chipotle pepper, cayenne and cumin into a small bowl and stir together. Place the yolk in a separate small bowl and whisk in the water. Lightly dust the soft-shell crabs with the all-purpose flour. Dip the crabs in the egg yolk mixture and sprinkle both sides with the hazelnut flour mixture. Place the crabs with the grapeseed oil in a very hot sauté pan and cook for two minutes on each side, or just until crispy. Remove from pan and blot on paper towels.

In a medium sauté pan, wilt the curry leaves and snow pea shoots with 2tsp of butter and a splash of water for one minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, place some wilted greens in the centre of a bowl. Lay a crab on top of them and arrange tomato slices and hazelnut halves around the bowl. Ladle some vegetable broth into each bowl.

Charlie Trotter