Spiced crab and mussel broth with crab toasts
This rich coconut, crab, prawn and mussel broth is spiced with ginger, lemongrass, chilli, garlic and shallots. Serve it with buttery crab toasts for dunking.
Ingredients
For the crab toasts
- 200g/7oz white crab meat
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- lemon juice, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 2 thick slices white bread, toasted
- butter, for spreading
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the broth
- 400g/14oz mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
- 12 raw head-on, shell-on prawns
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
- 4 x 400ml/14fl oz tins coconut milk
- 100g/3½oz fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped
- 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, halved
- 2 banana shallots, chopped
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tsp palm sugar or golden caster sugar
- 2 limes, juice only
- 100g/3½oz white crab meat
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- coriander leaves
- salt, if needed
Method
To make the crab toasts, mix the crab meat with the crème fraîche, lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the toast with butter, then spoon the crab mixture thickly on top. Cut into squares to serve.
To make the broth, discard any mussels with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped.
Put the mussels in a large pan with the white wine. Cover and cook over a high heat for about 3 minutes, or until the mussels open.
Strain the cooking liquor into a jug and set aside. Put the mussels in a bowl, discarding any that remain closed.
Peel the prawns and remove the heads, keeping the prawns, shells and heads separate.
Heat a little vegetable oil in the pan used for the mussels. Add the prawn shells and heads and fry over a high heat for 2–3 minutes, or until coloured.
Open the tins of coconut milk without shaking them. Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top into a wok or large saucepan. Pour the thinner coconut liquid underneath into the pan with the prawn shells and heads. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Put the ginger, lemongrass, chilli, garlic and shallots in a blender with 100ml/3½fl oz water. Blend until fairly smooth.
Meanwhile, gently heat the coconut cream until melted and smooth. Add the ginger and lemongrass paste and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add the reserved mussel cooking liquor to the prawn shell pan. Pour the shell mixture, including the shells, into the pan with the coconut cream and spice paste. Stir well, simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Strain the broth base through a sieve into a clean pan, pressing down on the shells and paste to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the shells and paste.
Add the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice to the broth. Taste and add a little salt if needed. The broth can be held at this stage until ready to serve.
Just before serving, bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the peeled prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until pink and cooked through.
Divide the crab meat and mussels between 4 serving bowls, discarding any empty mussel shells.
Ladle the hot broth over the crab and mussels, adding 3 prawns to each bowl. Finish with the spring onions and coriander leaves.
Serve with the crab toasts.
