Warm salad of samphire, asparagus and crab
An elegant celebration of springtime ingredients, Jack Stein’s sophisticated starter would be perfect for an al fresco dinner party.
Ingredients
For the crab and asparagus salad
- 300³¾±ô/½±è³Ù olive oil, for poaching
- 350g/12oz British asparagus, woody ends removed, spears halved
- 225g/8oz samphire, picked washed, woody ends removed and rest cut into 2½cm/1in pieces
- ¼ garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- ¼ lemon, juice only (about 2 tsp)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- parmesan shavings, to garnish
- 1 cooked brown crab (1.25–1.5kg/2lb 12oz–3lb 5oz), meat picked
- sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
For the cucumber pickle
- ½ cucumber, deseeded and chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 10²µ/½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- pinch salt
- pinch five-spice powder
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan to 150C/300F (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended).
Poach the asparagus in the olive oil for 3–4 minutes, then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon.
Add the samphire to the asparagus oil and poach for 1 minute. Drain and then tip into a bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, toss together lightly and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
To make the cucumber pickle, place all the ingredient plus 50ml/2fl oz water into a saucepan and warm through. Use immediately or leave for a few hours in the fridge.
Divide the asparagus and samphire between four plates and arrange pieces of the white crab meat and a little of the brown meat over the top. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle over a little more olive oil and season with a few sea salt flakes. Scatter over the parmesan shavings and serve and serve with the cucumber pickle.