DELCADO & MUD CRAB SALAD - By mark best

“Food is such a powerful emotional vehicle, one that can be transporting when using ingredients so connected to their provenance. The Delcado mud crab salad evokes memories of times travelling through some of my favourite food destinations such as the floating markets of Bangkok.

“This is an absolutely delicious way to take advantage of the buttery richness and mouthfeel of new season Delcados. Delcados have a rich nutty flavour that pairs perfectly with the mud crab in this Thai-influenced salad. What we are trying to achieve is a balance between the elements of sweet, sour and salty. Textural balance is also fundamental in finding equality between the soft, creamy elements and those with some crunch. The evocative floral note of freshly picked herbs make this salad a perfect lunch and celebration of the season.” - Mark Best.

Serves 4

Prep 30 mins
Cook 30 mins

Ingredients

Dressing

1 tbsp freshly grated coconut sugar (or palm)

4 makrut limes juiced

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 large green chilli chopped (seeds optional)

1 knob ginger grated or julienned

1 stalk lemongrass finely chopped

Mix all of the ingredients together just prior to dressing the salad.

Salad

2 Delcado avocados

1/2 slightly green pineapple pealed, core removed, cut into small pieces

1 green mango

2 cups freshly cooked mud crab meat (1.4 kg male mud crab)

1 cup Vietnamese mint leaves

1 cup Thai basil

1/2 cup mint

Handful of fresh sawtooth coriander or common coriander

Garnish

4 red scud chillies

2 finger limes

2 makrut limes

Method

Place the mud crab into iced slurry (50:50 water and ice, with 1/2 cup salt) for 20 minutes, then steam for 10 minutes per kilogram. In this case, a 1kg crab was 14 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then remove the meat. Use a rolling pin to crack the claws and scissors to access the claw and body meat. Reserve meat until required.

Cut the Delcados in half and pop the seed with your thumbs by pressing into the back of the avocado. Remove the flesh with a large kitchen spoon and cut into slices. Peel the green mango then cut into thin slices and then fine julienne.

Carefully toss all of the salad ingredients together with the dressing, being careful not to break up the Delcados. Garnish with finger lime and red chillies, and the halved makrut limes on the side.