MARRON TAILS ROASTED WITH aromatics
with Sautéed King Crab, Pea Shoots and Ginger

ROASTED MARRONS

4 x 350 g (12 oz) live marrons

80 g (2¾ oz) Aromatic Confit Salt

4 cloves garlic, roughly crushed

6 sprigs thyme

20 ml ( fl oz) non-scented cooking oil

SAUTÉED KING CRAB,
PEA SHOOTS AND GINGER

1 x 1.8 kg (4 lb) live king crab

50 g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

200 g (7 oz) pea shoots, leaves picked

200 g (7 oz) bean sprouts, roots removed

salt and freshly ground pepper

few drops fresh lemon juice

TO SERVE

200 ml (7 fl oz) Marron Bisque (see Yabby Bisque, kept warm

200 ml (7 fl oz) Ginger Beurre Blanc, kept warm

Deep-Fried Ginger

Use the heads and claws from the marrons to make the yabby bisque. When you prepare the Aromatic Confit Salt, roughly crush the spices instead of pounding them to a powder.

TO PREPARE THE MARRONS, put them in the freezer for an hour or so before cooking. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the marrons, one at a time, for 10 seconds. Refresh in iced water and when cool enough to handle remove the heads and claws. Stretch the marron tails out flat on your work surface. To keep them straight while roasting, insert a dessert spoon underneath each marron, just inside the cartilage, and tie with string.

Put the aromatic salt into a mortar and pestle with the garlic and thyme and pound to a paste. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan and add the oil. Add the marron tails to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes, turning them around in the pan until the flesh begins to caramelise and the shell turns bright orange. Add the spice paste to the pan and toss gently to coat the marron tails. Put in oven and roast for 6 minutes, turning them every few minutes. Remove from the oven and rest in a warm plate for another 6 minutes.

TO PREPARE THE CRAB, put it in the freezer for an hour or so before cooking. 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 18 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.

TO SAUTÉ THE CRAB AND VEGETABLES, melt the butter in a saucepan with the garlic, until lightly foaming. Add the crab with the pea shoots and bean sprouts and toss for 1–2 minutes until the crab is just warmed through and the leaves begin to wilt. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir in a drop of lemon juice.

TO SERVE, carefully remove the shell from the marron and carve into neat medallions. Divide the sautéed crab and vegetables between 4 warm serving plates and arrange the sliced marron tails on top. Drizzle on the marron bisque and the ginger beurre blanc and garnish with the deep-fried ginger.

Serves 4 as a main course