Crab Mayonnaise with Asparagus

This dish can serve two if you have something else, or a healthy lunch for one.

The quantities are a suggestion more than a rulebook, as your crab may be looser and vegan mayonnaise tends to not need as much lemon juice. Additionally, I like to buy the mixed white/brown crabmeat packages where I can, so the quantities might not be the same, but that really doesn’t matter. You may also like more white or brown meat; this changes the texture and flavour so adjust as you’re going.

Finally on hot-sauce, my favourite is Paolo from Tokyo’s Hot Sauce as this has a greater complexity than a lot of hot sauces, but tabasco works just fine if that is all you have.

However sophisticated this seems (and it really does when you are eating it), it is really no more than boiling, measuring, stirring and spooning out.

I highly recommend serving with buttered toast, so the leftover crab mayonnaise can be mopped up! I told you it wasn’t sophisticated!

Ingredients

  • 220 g bunch of asparagus

  • 100 g white crab meat

  • 50 g brown crab meat

  • 3 tbs mayonnaise (can be vegan mayo, use less lemon juice)

  • 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

  • A generous handful of chives, save some to sprinkle over the top

  • Juice of 1 small lemon (1/2 if you’re using vegan mayo)

  • 1-3 dashes of a good quality hot sauce

Directions

  • If you have thick, new season asparagus like the one in the picture, remove the woody ends first by bending gently until they snap at the point where the woody part meets the soft.

  • I cook my asparagus in the microwave (horror!) but it works just as well to boil in a pan for 2 to 3 mins; you’re looking for the crunch to remain.

  • Place the asparagus in cold/ice water to stop the cooking if you want to keep the shape and colour, this also helps firm if you’ve gone over a little too.

  • Tip the rest of the ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine, adding salt and pepper to taste (the crab can already be salty so watch for this). NOTE: I wouldn’t use too much hot sauce as this is supposed to just give a little roundness at the end, not be the star of the show, add the lemon juice to balance and slacken the mixture.

  • Place the cooked and cooled asparagus onto a plate, spoon over the gorgeous crab mixture, top with the leftover chives, then serve with some freshly buttered toast.