Fraser Island Spanner Crab Ceviche - Chef Recipe by Michael Lee
Ingredients
125 g green raw spanner crab meat
25 g diced cucumber
10 g finely diced fermented green chilli
25 g finely diced fennel and tops
1 whole ripe avocado
1 whole fresh finger lime
25 g pickled sea greens such as karkalla, sea parsley and sea blight
1 sprig fresh elderflower (optional)
3-4 whole organic limes
100mL extra virgin olive oil
10mL filtered water
30 g sugar
5 g fennel seeds
1 whole bay leaf
Method
First make the ceviche dressing.
In a blender combine olive oil, the juice and zest from the lime, you may need two limes depending on the quantity of juice you get from the lime, season with salt and blend until combined.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. you can also blend a little sugar or honey into the dressing if the limes are particularly sour.
Next make the pickled sea greens:
In a saucepan combine vinegar, water, sugar and aromats, season and bring to a simmer. Once sugar has dissolved take off heat and allow it to infuse. Wash your sea greens and pour the warm pickle over.
Avocado purée:
Scoop the flesh out your avocado and place in the blender you made the ceviche dressing in.
Add a squeeze of lime and salt, blend until super smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag.
Finely chop your cucumber, chilli and fennel and cut open the finger lime.
To assemble:
In a bowl add the green crab meat, season and dress generously with the dressing, allowing that dressing to start to cook the crab.
Once it's cooked to your liking (I like to keep it slightly translucent but not raw!) it should take around 5 minutes then add your cucumber, chilli and fennel.
Mix together and taste again making sure it's beautifully seasoned and balanced.
Place a ring in centre of the plate fill with your crab mix.
Pipe generous dots of the avocado purée around, top with finger lime pearls and pickled sea greens.
Garnish with fresh elderflower.
*Pickled fennel is a great substitute instead of sea greens.
Recipe provided by Potager
