Tomato jelly with crab and chives
This elegant recipe crafts a refreshing tomato jelly infused with savory flavors, paired with a delicate mixture of fresh crab, crisp cucumber, and aromatic chives. It's a light yet sophisticated starter or main course, perfect for warm weather or as a refined culinary presentation.
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve
- 1 Small Saucepan
- 4 Ramekins or Molds For individual jelly portions
- 2 Mixing Bowls One for gelatin, one for crab
Ingredients
Main
- 5 gelatin leaves
- 250 ml tomato or V8 juice
- 300 g fresh tomatoes
- 1 shallot peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp castor sugar
- Good dash of Tabasco
- Sea salt and pepper
- 50 g cucumber finely diced
- 150 g picked crab meat
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chives finely snipped
Instructions
- Bloom gelatin leaves in a bowl of very cold water for 5-10 minutes until softened. Meanwhile, blend fresh tomatoes, chopped shallot, sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, castor sugar, Tabasco, sea salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth.
- Pass the blended tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a clean bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much clear juice as possible. Discard the solids.
- Gently warm the 250ml tomato or V8 juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not boil. Squeeze excess water from the bloomed gelatin leaves and add them to the warm juice, stirring until completely dissolved.
- Combine the gelatin-infused juice with the strained fresh tomato juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, sherry vinegar, or Tabasco as needed to achieve a balanced flavor.
- Pour the tomato jelly mixture into four individual ramekins or desired molds. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly set and firm.
- While the jelly sets, prepare the crab mixture: In a medium bowl, gently combine the picked crab meat with finely diced cucumber, lemon juice, and finely snipped chives.
- Season the crab mixture with a pinch of sea salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting as necessary.
- Once the tomato jelly is firmly set, carefully unmold each jelly onto serving plates if desired, or serve directly from the ramekins.
- Spoon a generous portion of the crab and cucumber mixture over or alongside each tomato jelly.
- Garnish with additional fresh chives or a small sprig of herbs for presentation, and serve immediately.
Notes
Achieving a perfectly clear tomato jelly is key; ensure your tomato mixture is thoroughly strained through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois to remove pulp and seeds. When dissolving the bloomed gelatin, warm the tomato juice gently; avoid boiling, as excessive heat can weaken gelatin's setting power. For optimal flavor, use very ripe, high-quality fresh tomatoes. Adjust seasoning—salt, pepper, sherry vinegar, and Tabasco—to taste, ensuring a vibrant balance that complements the sweet crab. Handle the picked crab meat gently to maintain its delicate texture. Chill thoroughly for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, for a firm, stable set.