SALAD OF CRISP SPICED pork belly
with Snow Crab and Vietnamese Dressing

1 x ½ kg (2 lb 10 oz) snow crab

300 ml (10 fl oz) non-scented cooking oil

½ cup Vietnamese mint leaves

½ cup Thai basil leaves

6 large shallots, finely sliced

½ small green mango, very finely julienned

½ bunch spring onions, very finely shredded

250 ml (83.4 fl oz) Vietnamese Dressing

salt and freshly ground pepper

few drops fresh lime juice

400 g (14 oz) Spiced Confit Pork Belly, chilled

At Bécasse we marinate the pork belly in a spiced dry salt for 24 hours, then gently confit it in a spiced braising liquor. If time is not on your side, a piece of barbecued pork from Chinatown will work as a good alternative.

To cook the crab, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Place the crab in the pan and simmer gently for 12 minutes. Remove the crab from the water and leave until cool enough to handle.

Remove the legs and claws from the crab, crack them and remove the meat. Crack the body shell and remove all the meat from the carapace. Carefully pick through all the crab meat removing any specks of shell or cartilage. Transfer to a clean mixing bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a small deep pan to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread colours and sizzles to the surface within 30 seconds. Deep-fry half the Vietnamese mint leaves until golden brown and crisp, about 10–15 seconds. Repeat with half the Thai basil. Deep-fry the sliced shallots for 45–60 seconds. Drain the fried herbs and shallots on kitchen paper and keep warm until required.

Put the green mango and spring onions in the mixing bowl with the crab meat. Roughly tear the reserved fresh Thai basil leaves and add them to the bowl. Add a few tablespoons of dressing, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and add a few drops of lime juice. Toss gently then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Slice the chilled pork lengthwise into 12 long, thin slices. Fry over a high heat until golden and brown. Remove from the pan and drain briefly on kitchen paper.

To serve, place a ring mould on the centre of a serving plate. Line the inside of the mould with 2 slightly overlapping pieces of pork. Spoon in a generous amount of the crab mixture and press it down firmly into the mould. Carefully lift up the mould and repeat for the other 5 serves. Top each stack with the deep-fried herbs and shallots. Shred the remaining fresh Vietnamese mint leaves very finely and sprinkle them around the plate. Drizzle on a little dressing and serve while the pork is still warm.

Serves 6 as an entrée or light main course