Crab mayonnaise with Melba toast & herb salad

Dinner with 13 ingredients.

Servings: 4

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• large handful chervil
• 2 thick slices white bread
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• large handful tarragon sprigs
• 1 shallot sliced into thin rings
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar plus extra to serve
• large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon small caper in brine, drained
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra to serve
• 300 gram freshly picked white crabmeat
• 200 millilitre olive oil (not extra virgin)

Method

1. To make the crab mayonnaise, put the egg yolk and mustard in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add a drop of the oil and whisk until completely combined. Gradually add the oil, a drop at a time, then in a thin trickle, whisking continuously until you have a thick mayonnaise. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice, stir in the crabmeat and season to taste. This mix can be made a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge.
2. For the Melba toast, heat the grill to high. Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast on both sides until lightly browned. Cut the crusts off the toast, then carefully cut through the middle of each slice horizontally to give you 2 thin slices. Cut each of these into 4 triangles. Put the triangles, untoasted-side up, on the baking sheet and place back under the grill to brown – if they curl up slightly, all the better. The toast can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container.
3. Assemble the herb salad just before serving: put all the herbs in a bowl, add the shallot and capers, then dress with olive oil and vinegar. Toss everything together until well mixed and you’re ready to serve. See our step-by-step guide to plating up..