Crab & Avocado Tian with Pink Grapefruit and Chive Oil

⏱ 35 min · Serves 4

A cool, elegant tower of sweet white crab meat, silky avocado and jewels of pink grapefruit, finished with a vivid chive oil and a whisper of chilli. It looks like it came off a tasting menu, but a ring mould and twenty minutes of calm are all it really takes.

Per serving: 392 kcal · 19.5g protein · 11.0g carbs · 30.5g fat

Ingredients

• 300g fresh white crab meat, picked over for shell
• 2 tbsp good mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp crème fraîche
• Zest of 1 lime, plus 1 tbsp juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 tsp lime juice (for the avocado)
• 2 pink grapefruit
• 1 small shallot, very finely diced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 20g chives (for the oil)
• 75ml mild olive oil or grapeseed oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
• Micro coriander or baby watercress, to garnish
• Flaky salt, to finish

Method

1. Make the chive oil: blanch the 20g chives in boiling water for 10 seconds, refresh in iced water, squeeze bone dry. Blitz with the 75ml oil and a pinch of salt for 1 minute until vivid green, then strain through a fine sieve or muslin. Chill.
2. Segment the grapefruit: slice off top and bottom, cut away the peel and pith, then cut between the membranes to release clean segments. Squeeze the membranes to catch 2 tbsp juice. Halve the segments and drain on kitchen paper.
3. Dress the crab: gently fold the white meat with the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, lime zest and juice, chopped chives, half the shallot, salt and white pepper. Keep it loose — don't mash it.
4. Mash the avocado roughly with a fork with 1 tsp lime juice, the 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, half the chilli and a good pinch of salt. Keep some texture.
5. Set a 7–8cm ring mould on a chilled plate. Press in a layer of avocado (about 1.5cm), then a layer of crab, then top with grapefruit pieces, remaining shallot and chilli. Press very lightly and lift the ring away. Repeat for the other three plates.
6. Spoon the reserved grapefruit juice around each tian, drizzle generously with chive oil, scatter micro herbs and flaky salt, and serve immediately with hot sourdough toast.