Recipe: Paul Ainsworth's crab and summertime tomato

Simple but perfect for a summer lunch

Paul Ainsworth's crab and summertime tomato

This dish is essentially two ingredients, designed to go together in their absolute prime: sun-ripened tomatoes and beautiful crab.

"With a bowl of buttered new potatoes, it is simply awesome — and it regularly features on the summer menu at Caffe Rojano," says Paul Ainsworth.

"Remember, never keep your fresh tomatoes in the fridge. Instead, store them in a cool, dry place so the flavour keeps developing.

"With their different shapes, sizes and colours, I love using heritage variety tomatoes when they are in season."

Crab, summertime tomato, pickled shallot and basil salad

"With a bowl of buttered new potatoes, it is simply awesome — and it regularly features on the summer menu at Caffe Rojano," says Paul Ainsworth.

Servings

4

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 115g brown crab meat

• 200g mayonnaise

• Juice of 1/4 lemon

• 350g tomatoes, sliced

• 3tsp red wine vinegar

• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• 100g white crab meat, flaked

• 10 large basil leaves

• Zest of 1/2 lemon

• Zest of 1/2 lime

• Sea salt

• Cracked black pepper

• For the pickled shallot:

• 1 large banana shallot, sliced into thin rings

• 150ml water

• 50g caster sugar

• 50ml white wine vinegar

• 5g yellow mustard seeds

• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Place all the pickled shallot ingredients in a bowl and combine well. Leave to pickle while you crack on with making the other salad elements.

2. Add the brown crab meat to the mayonnaise, along with the lemon juice. Whisk until smooth, then place in a small bowl and chill until needed.

3. Cut the tomatoes into two centimetre-thick slices, keeping them chunky and funky. Place in a bowl and lightly season with the sea salt and black pepper.

4. Add the red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, then leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

5. To serve, place the tomatoes on a plate and top with the white crab meat. Add little dollops of the brown crab mayonnaise, then scatter the pickled shallots and basil leaves all over the salad. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dusting of the zingy lemon and lime zests.

• For The Love Of Food by Paul Ainsworth is published by Pavilion Books, priced £26 (approx €31). Photography: Issy Croker. Available now