Newquay Harbour spider crab on toast

Working as a Chef at the Headland Hotel, in Newquay has its perks. Walking to work very often I wander down to the working harbour and have a chat with fishermen about the state of shellfish especially crabs and lobsters, in the Atlantic bay. Although I leave the joy of picking crab to Roger at the harbour, the dish I prepare is a happy offering of Cornwall on a plate to discerning lovers of Cornish seafood. White crab meat (from the claws) rivals, or exceeds, lobster for flavor and succulence. Crab is a good source of a number of trace minerals including selenium, which counteracts cancer and chromosome damage as well as increasing our resistance to viral and bacterial infections. The spiced crab meat perched on a bed of peppery salad and warm rustic bread serves as a simple British seaside classic to me.
Serves a Family of 4 250g Picked white crab meat (available from any good fishmonger) 100ml Crme Fraiche (any make will do!) 10ml Whole Grain mustard (Preferably Spingo mustard from Helston) 1 Pinch curry powder 2 Spring onions sliced thinly Dill a few sprigs picked 4 Red radishes sliced thinly 100g Roquette leaves washed 1 Loaf Sour dough bread 25ml Olive Oil 1 Lime cut into wedges In a large bowl, place the white crab meat and pick through for any occasional bones or cartilages. Fold in the crme Fraiche, grain mustard, curry powder and sliced spring onion. Slice the sour dough bread into thick chunks and drizzle them with olive oil. Char grill the sour dough bread on both sides. Top the grilled bread slices with a generous amount of the crab mix and pop under the grill for a few minutes to achieve a golden crust. Serve with a mixed salad of peppery rocket leaves, sliced red radish, dill and lime wedges.

Sanjay Says: The beeriness of Spingo mustard almost yields a rarebit kind of texture/flavour to the crab toast, which is perfect to beat the January winter blues.