DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES WITH MEYER LEMON-SAFFRON AIOLO

Julia Conway who now makes Stella Cadente extra virgin olive oil in Mendocino County, California, recently sent me this lovely recipe using her own Meyer lemon flavoured oil.

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds cleaned Dungeness crab meat
¼ pound fresh rock cod
Fresh ground white pepper to taste
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Mendocino Mustard green label
1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion (green part only)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Panko for breading
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons Mendocino Mustard green label
1 teaspoon Terra Sonoma verjus
½ teaspoon fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon saffron
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch cayenne
½ cup Stella Cadente Meyer Lemon olive oil

Method
Pick over crab, checking for shell. Do not break up chunks of meat, chill. Place the fish in a blender with a pinch of salt and fresh ground white pepper. Turn on the blender, and slowly add heavy cream in a steady stream. Scrape down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula, then blend the mixture one more time to make sure the fish mousse is smooth. Set aside.
In a bowl with the crab, add the mustard, celery, herbs and lemon zest and lightly toss to evenly distribute the ingredients. Fold the fish mousse into the crab mixture, again taking care not to break up the meat. Taste, and season with salt, white pepper, cayenne and lemon juice as needed. If mixture seems dry and will not hold together, beat and stir in one whole egg to bind. Form crab mixture into cakes and chill.
For the aioli, place all the ingredients in a blender except the oil. Turn on the blender and slowly drizzle the oil in a stream until it is completely incorporated into the emulsion. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat a film of clarified butter in a large skillet or griddle. Place panko on a sheet pan. Dip each side of the crab cake lightly in panko and brown lightly until golden and crab mixture is warmed through. Serve hot garnished with aioli and a drizzle of Meyer Lemon olive oil.

OCTOPUS WITH WINE AND HONEY

This amazing recipe comes from Sam and Iris Lord who produce Eliris extra virgin olive oil. They have a really interesting olive grove in Northern Greece. It was planted with a range of different Greek varieties, not just Koroneiki, by Iris’s father but was left to fend for it itself on his death. Today Sam and Iris have revived the grove and are producing really first class oil on the farm. Because of the range of olive varieties used the oil seems to have greater taste and flavour dimensions than oils pressed exclusively from Koroneiki which is the norm in Greece.

Ingredients
1.5Kg octopus
10 small onions (shallots)
1 tbs sugar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine (preferably sweet)
2 tomatoes (quartered)
Small handful of cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup cognac (or similar spirit)
1/2 cup balsamic (or any good quality vinegar)
2 bay leaves
4 allspice
black peppercorns to taste
sea salt to taste
1 generous tbs honey (preferably thyme)
* 1 cup equivalent to 150ml water
tip – very important not to add salt unless it needs it as the octopus with the balsamic can make the dish quite salty.

Method
Peel and quarter the onions.
Wash and cut the octopus into pieces.
In a wide and shallow pan, heat the oil and put the onions on low heat to soften. Sprinkle with sugar.
Add the octopus and stir until it changes colour.
Add the cognac, wine and balsamic. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, spices and salt/pepper to taste.
Simmer over low heat for 1 hour, until the octopus is tender and the sauce has reduced/thickened.
Finally add the honey, stir and turn off the heat.
Enjoy!

“Best accompanied with fried potatoes”, says Sam. “We always have it with our shredded fried potatoes”:
- Grate potatoes in a deep bowl and add plenty of water to rinse off the starch.
- Drain really well.
- Pre-heat pan of olive oil (approx 1/3 of the pan)
- Sprinkle the shredded potato carefully into the pan.
- Remove & drain when golden & crisp. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

CAVATELLI WITH BROAD BEANS AND RICOTTA

This is pasta recipe is really quick and easy to make but tastes really wonderful. Look out for new season broad beans and use them as they are without skinning. Later in the year or if you are using frozen beans then they are better skinned. The recipe comes from the Planeta Estate in southern Sicily. Try both the wine and the olive oil.

Ingredients
400 g cavatelli pasta
400 g shelled fresh broad beans
200 g fresh sheep ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove
50 g chopped onion
30 g mint
Traditional extra virgin olive oil D.O.P. Val di Mazara
Salt, pepper
Fresh chilli pepper (optional)

Method
Blanch the broad beans in slightly salted boiling water. Drain the beans and cool them off in icy cold water, then dry and peel them.
In a fry pan colour - in extra virgin olive oil - onions, garlic and a small amount of fresh chilli pepper. Add the broad beans and some hot water (from the pasta pot) or vegetable stock, letting the broad beans cook until they reduce naturally in a mash.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta “al dente” in salted boiling water, drain it and mix directly in the pan with the broad beans. Before serving, add fresh mint leaves and fresh ricotta cheese.