Cooking with crab

The perfect accompaniment to crab is spiciness, an unbeatable combination adored the world over. In Singapore and Malaysia, crab is fried with ginger, chilli and garlic before a sticky coating of chilli sauce is applied. It is fragrant and fiery, reminiscent of the sweet and sour soups of neighbouring Thailand. Crab's briny notes may also be enriched with the sweetness of coconut, shaved into a salad, with mint and basil maybe, or with coconut milk in a soup.

Crab's equal affinity for sweetness or fierceness is a complex contradiction. The marine seaweed aroma of a whole crab is in stark contrast to the sweetness of the moist flecks of its meat. Crab even works with creaminess – think avocado puree or sour cream – and cheese, and a warm crab and parmesan tart is among our most loved canapes.

Visitors to the restaurant can still buy boiled crab in nearby Crail from day boats, the best way to buy it. Never settle for pasteurised crab, which is somehow simultaneously dry and watery, certainly flavourless and without succulence. Even the simplicity of a dressed crab shows the earthy brown meat and delicate white at their best, with minimal fuss.

Salad of white crab meat, avocado and radishes

Serves 4

200g white crabmeat

1 small bread stick, suitable for cutting into long croutons

Olive oil to drizzle

Sea salt flakes

1 small bunch of chives

1 lemon

2 ripe avocados

4 radishes per person

1 Crabmeat must always be checked for stray pieces of shell, even if you buy it in packaging that says it is picked or cleaned. Arrange the meat at one end of a small tray. Using a small palette knife, drag small amounts of the crab towards you so you can inspect and feel for any small pieces of shell. Once picked, transfer the crab to a small bowl.

2 Slice the bread on a long angle in thin croutons and arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add a few flakes of sea salt then place in the oven at 180C/gas mark 4 for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

3 Now dress the crab. Chop the chives as finely as possible then add them to the crab. Using a microplane or the finest side of a box grater, grate the lemon zest and add this, along with a few drops of juice, to the crab. Sprinkle with a very small amount of olive oil and sea salt then stir in and taste, adjusting as required.

4 Slice the avocados in two, twist them apart then remove the stones. Cut each piece into slender wedges, allowing three or four pieces per person, removing the skin at the same time. Arrange the crab meat in a mound in the middle of each serving plate and lay the slices of avocado to one side. Slice the radishes how you like, either in halves or into thin slivers, and scatter next to the avocado. Lay a crouton up against the crab, drizzle a little olive oil all over and serve at once.

Crab, parmesan and fennel tarts

Serves 4

For the pastry:

100g plain flour, plus extra for rolling

100g wholemeal flour

125g cold butter, cubed

1 free-range egg, beaten briefly with a fork

For the filling:

1 small bulb of fennel, diced, with the herb chopped and reserved

3 free-range eggs, beaten

300ml creme fraiche

A pinch of sea salt flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

A pinch of chilli flakes, optional

100g fresh brown crabmeat

1dsstsp chopped chives

50g butter

100g fresh white crabmeat

50g parmesan, finely grated

1 For the pastry, pulse the flours and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the egg in a thin stream and blend until the mixture begins to form a ball. Roll the pastry into a ball on a floured work surface, cover with clingfilm then chill for at least 1hour before using.

2 Lightly dust a work surface with plain flour and roll out the pastry into a circle to line a 23cm loose-based fluted tart tin. Using your fingertips, press the pastry firmly into the base and sides. Trim off any excess pastry, which can be rolled into a small ball and used for pressing the dough into the corners of the tart case. Chill the case in the fridge for at least 1 hour before baking. When you're ready to bake the pastry, set the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Crumple up a sheet of parchment paper to make it more flexible then straighten it out and line the pastry with it, filling it halfway up with baking beans. Bake the tart case for 25 minutes then tip out the beans and lift out the paper before returning the tart to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes or until the surface is dry and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 160C/gas mark 4.

3 For the filling, melt the butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan over a low heat. Add the fennel (reserve the fronds of herb for later) and fry gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring until just softened but not coloured. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4 Put the eggs in a bowl or a large jug and beat them lightly with a whisk. Stir in the creme fraiche, season with salt and pepper and add the chilli flakes if using. Beat together until thoroughly combined. Stir in the brown crabmeat, chives and fennel herb.

5 Scatter the white crabmeat and cold fennel across the pastry base then cover with the creme fraiche mixture and sprinkle with the parmesan. Cook on the baking tray for 25 minutes, or until the filling is golden-brown and just set. (It should wobble a fraction in the centre as it will continue to set while it cools.) Remove the tart from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before serving.