White Crab & Bramley-Sharp Apple Salad with Brown Crab Mayonnaise

⏱ 25 min · Serves 4

A restaurant-plate starter that leans on one clever trick: the sweet, savoury brown meat is whipped into a glossy mayonnaise, so every forkful of sweet white crab and crisp apple lands on something deeply crabby. Fresh, sharp, elegant — and done in under half an hour.

Per serving: 525 kcal · 26.0g protein · 24.0g carbs · 37.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g fresh white crab meat, picked over for shell
• 80g brown crab meat
• 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 150ml light rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
• A few drops of Tabasco
• 1 crisp sharp apple (Granny Smith or Cox), cored
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, for the apple
• 2 celery sticks, finely sliced on the angle, plus a handful of pale leaves
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 50g watercress or baby lettuce leaves
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper
• 4 slices sourdough, toasted, to serve

Method

1. Whisk the egg yolk, Dijon and cider vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the oil a few drops at a time, whisking constantly, then in a thin steady stream once it thickens, until you have a stiff mayonnaise.
2. Push the brown crab meat through a fine sieve into the mayonnaise (this removes any grit and gives a silky texture). Whisk in 1 tbsp lemon juice and the Tabasco. Season, then loosen with 1–2 tsp cold water to a spoonable, glossy consistency. Chill.
3. Gently squeeze any excess liquid from the white crab meat and tip into a bowl. Fork through the chives, parsley, chilli if using, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a little flaky salt — keep the strands intact.
4. Cut the apple into fine matchsticks and toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice to stop it browning. Add the sliced celery.
5. Spoon a generous swoosh of brown crab mayonnaise onto each plate and spread with the back of the spoon.
6. Pile the dressed white crab on top, then crown with the apple and celery, celery leaves and watercress. Finish with black pepper and a final drop of olive oil, and serve at once with hot sourdough toast.