Cooking for Friends

3-4 tbsp crème fraiche

handful of coriander leaves, to garnish

Remove the flesh from the crab shell: twist off the legs and claws from the body. Turn over the body so the pale belly is facing upwards. Pull the belly shell to remove it in a single piece. Discard along with the small sac and furry grey gills (known as dead man’s fingers). Use a small spoon to scrape out the brown and white meat from the body, keeping them in separate bowls. Crack open the claws and legs and extract the flesh with a skewer or a crab pick.

Use the back of a Chinese cleaver, a strong chef’s knife or a pestle to break up the crab shell into small pieces. Place them in a large bowl.

Now make the crab stock: heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and lemongrass. Stir over high heat for 4-6 minutes until the vegetables are golden and beginning to soften. Add the crab shells, tomato purée and a splash of brandy or cognac and stir well. Fry for another 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the Noilly Prat and boil for a few minutes until reduced by two-thirds. Pour in enough water to cover, about 750-800ml, and bring to a simmer. Skim off any scum or froth from the surface of the liquid, then add the tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Discard the shells and vegetables. Bring the stock to the boil and let it bubble vigorously until reduced by a third, to about 500ml. Stir in a few tablespoons of crème fraiche and season well to taste.

Spoon the brown and white crabmeat into the centre of warmed bowls and pour the piping hot soup around. (You could also add the crabmeat to the gently simmering soup to warm through before serving.) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Oxtail soup (#ulink_f111b53b-bf7f-5b47-b32f-041df120d21b)

Oxtail is still a relatively cheap cut, and the gelatinous nature of the meat makes it ideal for soups and stews. I remember it as one of my favourite soups when I was growing up, and I think it’s a shame this warming and delicious soup isn’t as popular as it used to be.

SERVES 4

1 oxtail, about 1.5kg, jointed

4 tbsp plain flour

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

1 turnip, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

few sprigs of thyme

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp tomato purée 300ml red wine

1.2 litres hot beef stock (see page 259)

2 tbsp butter, softened handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Trim off any excess fat from the oxtail pieces. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the flour with some salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based or cast-iron pan until hot. Coat the oxtail pieces with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, and fry for 2-2½ minutes on each side until evenly browned all over. Remove the oxtail to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the chopped vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and remaining seasoned flour, adding a little more oil as necessary. Stir frequently for another minute or 2.

Pour in the red wine and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the sediment. Boil for a few minutes. Return the oxtail to the pan and pour in the stock to cover. Bring to a simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Partially cover the pan and cook gently for 3 hours until the oxtail is very tender and comes off the bone easily. With a pair of kitchen tongs, lift out the oxtail pieces to a large bowl and leave to cool slightly.

Strain the cooking stock through a fine sieve into a clean pan, pushing down on the vegetables with the back of a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Pull the meat from the oxtail and shred into small pieces. To thicken the stock, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter, then whisk into the simmering stock, a little at a time. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup, then add the shredded meat to the pan to warm through. Sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley before serving.

Shropshire summer soup (#ulink_674a2918-8c82-5e27-96c6-de528579883e)

Shropshire summer soups are traditionally served smooth and creamy. I prefer mine rustic – chunky vegetables in a light broth. If you decide to liquidize the soup, mix in some double cream after blending for richness and to give it a silky texture.

SERVES 4-6

4 tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

into 1cm dice 2 large potatoes, about

450g, chopped into

1cm dice half a marrow, about 500g stripped leaves from a few

sprigs of thyme

1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock

(see pages 258-9)

2 heads of little gem lettuce, finely shredded

handful each of flat-leaf parsley and mint, leaves chopped

Heat a large pan with the oil and add the onions and potatoes. Stir frequently over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, core and chop the marrow into 1cm dice. Add the marrow, thyme leaves and some salt and pepper and cook for another couple of minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the little gem lettuce and turn off the heat as soon as the lettuce has wilted. Scatter over half the chopped herbs. Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls and garnish with the remaining chopped herbs to serve.

Crayfish chowder (#ulink_458e80bb-10ed-53df-8fa7-20904222d6f3)

Our rivers are teeming with crayfish. More of us should consider cooking them! Not only are they plentiful and cheap, they are delicious in salads, in rice and pasta dishes, and especially in soups, such as this New England-style chowder. This dish is quite substantial. With sourdough bread and a light salad, it makes a good lunch.

SERVES 4

Crayfish stock:

1.5-2kg live crayfish

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped