Scott Keenan's recipe: Crab tian with tomato consomme

Jul 5 2012 by Lynn Jolly, Paisley Daily Express

SUMMER might not be happening outdoors – but you can certainly bring a touch of the season to your table with today’s recipe.

Every week, our popular cookery page brings you a recipe to try at home and we also offer you the chance to win a voucher for one of six great Renfrewshire eateries.

Today, talented chef Scott Keenan brings you a recipe for crab tian with tomato consomme.

Scott, 34, runs the Johnstone-based family deli and bistro Papamacs, in Houstoun Square, and serves up freshly-cooked seasonal dishes, as well as home-made cakes and pastries.

He strives to use only the best

local produce.

Scott, from Johnstone, said: “What started as a weekend job in a local burger bar while at college has turned into a fruitful career.

“I have trained at a variety of places, from a small rosetted kitchen at Number 16 Restaurant, in Byres Road, Glasgow, to the grand Perthshire Estate Kinnaird, stopping off at Michelin-star restaurant Braidwoods of Dalry on the way.

“I spent three years as head chef at Macallum’s of Troon and, most recently, spent a stint in pastry over at Cameron House, at Loch Lomond.”

The other eateries involved in What’s Cooking? are The Fox and Hounds, in Houston; The Station Lounge, in Paisley; R34 Restaurant and Cafe @ India of Inchinnan; The Whuppity Scourie, in Erskine and The Canal Station, in Paisley.

FOR Scott’s crab tian you will need:

l 6oz (170g) white crab meat

l 2 avocados – ripe, peeled and roughly chopped

l chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

l Fresh coriander, chopped

l Zest coriander, chopped

l The zest of 1 lemon

l Juice of 1 lemon and

l 2 oz (55g) Mascarpone.

The cooking method for this is to place the crab meat, coriander, zest of lemon and Mascarpone in a bowl and mix. Season.

In another bowl, place the avocado, chilli, juice of lemon and season. Ring – or arrange – one on top of the other and place on plate.

For the tomato consomme you will need:

l 2½kg of cherry, vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

l 1 stick of celery, finely chopped

l 1 small shallot, finely chopped

l 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

l 2 sprigs of thyme, roughly chopped

l 4 leaves of tarragon, roughly chopped

l A handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped

l 1 tbsp of golden caster sugar

l 2 pinches of cayenne pepper

l 5 drops Worcestershire sauce

l 3 drops Tabasco sauce

The method is, in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together with 1 tbsp of sea salt, cover with cling film and marinate for six hrs. Then, in a food processor, pulse the tomato mix in batches until roughly chopped.

Don’t over-chop them to a mush.

Place three layers of muslin cloth, or a new kitchen cloth, over a large bowl and pour the mix into the cloth. Tie up with string and hang in a cold place for at least 15 mins over the bowl to collect the tomato essence.

Scott said: “Do not be tempted to help it through by squeezing it. Let gravity do its thing.”

Set aside the pulp. Taste and correct the seasoning, if necessary, then cool in the fridge.

He said: “Put a wee quenelle of the tomato pulp on top. Lightly pour the tomato juice round the tian slowly as to not disturb the tian.

“Then garnish the tomato juice with basil leaves. Done!”

Scott’s hints are to make the consomme first and have it ready in the fridge before you make the crab. Make the tian, ring it up and place in a nice bowl.