Salcombe has a long association with crab fishing, a legacy that goes back over the
centuries and one which is celebrated each year at Salcombe Crabfest.
Crab slaw recipe
With chips, with fish, on its own, in a bun, or as a salad, this crab slaw from Mitch Tonks is just great. The trick is not to add too much mayo or you'll drown out the sweet crab, and to slice your vegetables as thinly as possible.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 large carrots, peeled
2 large-bulbed spring onions
150g white cabbage
½–1 fennel bulb (depending on size)
15cm length of cucumber
1 celery stick, sliced on an angle
6tbsp lemon mayo
200g fresh hand-picked white crabmeat
A small amount of chopped dill (optional)
Salt and white pepper
Method
Shred all the vegetables into fine matchsticks or strips. Bind with the mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the crab and dill, if using, and serve.
Crab Taco recipe
Mitch Tonks and Kirk Gosden of Rockfish have created this delicious crab taco recipe exclusively for Salcombe Crabfest.
Bursting with flavour and easy to put together, it uses sweet and succulent fresh crab and is perfect for a refreshing dish for one, or as a fun sharing starter amongst loved ones.
Serves 3
Ingredients
120g fresh hand-picked white crabmeat
45g slaw mix (white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, red onion), finely chopped
¾ medium avocado diced
3g coriander teared
6g Dutch red chillies, finely chopped
3 tortillas
1 lime - save ¼ for garnish
9ml olive oil
Sea salt
Method
In a bowl, place the diced avocado and squeeze 3/4 of lime. Leave to one side.
Finely cut the slaw mix and place in a separate mixing bowl.
Add the fluffed up white crabmeat, coriander, chillies, lime, olive oil and sea salt to the slaw mix. Toss together gently and add the avocado.
Grill your corn tortillas (at Rockfish, we use gluten free ones which are always lovely and soft).
Add the crab mix into the taco, add a little more coriander at the top and serve with a wedge of lime.
Crab salad with Courchamps sauce
Courchamps sauce is a favourite of Jane Baxter because it uses the brown meat of the crab which often goes to waste. This recipe comes from Leon Fast & Free, co-authored by Jane, of Wild Artichokes in Kingsbridge, and Leon’s John Vincent
Serves 4
Ingredients
50g rocket
1 head of fennel, shaved
150g asparagus spears, cooked and cut into thin slices
1tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp olive oil
300g white crabmeat
Handful of cress, to serve
For the sauce
200g brown crabmeat
3 shallots, finely chopped
3tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
3tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp tamari
2tbsp Sambuca, or other aniseed liqueur
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
50ml olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Blitz together all the sauce ingredients until smooth. Season well.
Toss the rocket with the fennel, asparagus, lemon and oil. Top with the white crabmeat and drizzle with the Courchamps sauce. Scatter with cress to serve.
Recipe from Leon Fast & Free by Jane Baxter and John Vincent, published by Conran Octopus. Photography by Tamin Jones.
