Pea and Mint Panna Cotta with Dressed White Crab

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

A silky, cool-green panna cotta that tastes like the first day of summer, crowned with sweet white crab meat, lemon and a whisper of chilli. It looks like it came off a tasting menu but it's mostly a blender, a pan and a few hours in the fridge.

Per serving: 432 kcal · 18.0g protein · 11.0g carbs · 36.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g frozen peas
• 150ml whole milk
• 250ml double cream
• 1 small shallot, finely sliced
• 15g fresh mint leaves (about a small handful), plus 4 tiny sprigs to garnish
• 2 sheets platinum-grade gelatine (about 3.5g)
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• Salt and white pepper
• 200g fresh white crab meat, picked over
• 2 tbsp good mayonnaise
• 1 tsp crème fraîche
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tsp juice
• 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and very finely diced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
• 1 tbsp finely snipped chives
• A few pea shoots, to garnish
• Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes until floppy.
2. Put the milk, cream and shallot in a small saucepan and bring gently to just below a simmer. Take off the heat, add the sugar, cover and infuse for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, boil the peas in well-salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, reserving a splash of the water, and refresh briefly in iced water to lock in the colour. Drain well.
4. Return the cream to a bare simmer, then tip in the peas and mint leaves. Blitz in a blender until completely smooth — a good 2 minutes — then push through a fine sieve into a jug. Season assertively with salt and white pepper (it will taste blander when cold).
5. Squeeze the gelatine dry and whisk into the warm pea mixture until fully dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
6. Divide between 4 shallow bowls or 150ml glasses, leaving room on top. Chill for at least 3 hours (or overnight) until just set with a gentle wobble.
7. For the crab: mix the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, chilli and chives. Fold through the crab meat with the olive oil. Season with flaky salt and taste for lemon.
8. Spoon the dressed crab over the set panna cottas. Finish with pea shoots, a mint sprig, a thread of olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve cold with thin toasted sourdough.