Spiced potted crab

Ingredients:

300g prepared crab, fresh or frozen (defrosted)

175g butter

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

juice 1 lemon

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 bay leaf

18-20 large cooked prawns in their shells, bunch radishes, toasted rustic bread such as sourdough, to serve

A great get-ahead starter for the summer which can be made up to two days in advance

Serves 6

Prep time 20 mins

Cook time 5 mins

1. Tip the crab into a bowl and check for any pieces of shell. Melt 100g of the butter and add half the chilli, the lemon juice, nutmeg and salt. Add to the crab and mix well. Pack into a bowl or jar, pressing down lightly.

2. Melt the remaining butter. When it is foaming, remove from the heat. When the foam has died down, carefully skim off any scum that is on the surface with a teaspoon, then pour the clear butter over the crab, leaving behind any milky sediment. Scatter over the remaining chilli and put a bay leaf in the centre.

3. Leave to set in the fridge for about 1 hr. Serve on a board with the prawns and radishes, with toasted rustic bread.

Nutrition per serving:

283 kcalories, protein 10g, carbohydrate 1g, fat 27 g, saturated fat 16g, fibre 0g, salt 0.89 g

(Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2011)