Crab tostadas
Crab tostadas
In Coyoacán in Mexico City, my local market has become famous for (among other things) a tostadas stand which has expanded and become hugely popular. The stand offers a wide variety of tostadas: chicken tinga, prawn (shrimp) cocktail, or pata (cow’s hooves), which is one of my favourites. In the UK, Cornwall is well known for the exceptional quality of its seafood, especially crab. The region is one of our favourite summer holiday destinations thanks to its beautiful landscape and beaches, as well as its culinary specialities. To pay tribute to this beautiful seafood, I like to pair it with the simple, raw freshness of a jalapeño and lime mayonnaise and serve with crispy tostadas and avocados. You don’t need anything else: just delicious produce on a tostada. From Coyoacán to Cornwall.
Ingreadient
- 8 corn tortillas , (12cm/4½in in diameter)
- 2 teaspoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 250 g (9oz) crab meat, mixed white and brown
- 1 large avocado , peeled, stoned and thinly sliced
- salt flakes
- coriander (cilantro) leaves and lime wedges , to garnish
- 2 jalapeños , trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , chopped
- 10 g (¼ oz) fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 14 mint leaves
- 100 g (3½ oz/scant ½ cup) mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Direction
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/340°F/gas mark 3½ and set a wire rack over a baking tray (pan) lined with baking parchment.
- To make the mayonnaise, place the chopped chillies, garlic, coriander and mint in a small blender. Add a pinch of salt and crush or blend until reduced to a purée. Incorporate the chilli and herb purée into the mayonnaise, then stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning. Set aside.
- To make the tostadas, lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with the oil. Arrange the tortillas on the prepared wire rack and bake for 20–30 minutes, or until crispy, turning halfway through. Sprinkle with salt flakes.
- Place the tostadas, crab, avocado, jalapeño mayonnaise, coriander leaves and lime wedges on a serving platter and let your guests build their own tostadas: first a spread of mayonnaise, then a few avocado slices, followed by some crab meat, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime.
