Spanner Crab & Heirloom Tomatoes

Dish: Spanner Crab and Heirloom Tomatoes

Chef: Alastair Waddell (qualia, Great Barrier Reef)

  

 

 

Ingredients

  • Queensland spanner crab meat (cooked) – 400g
  • Crème fraiche – 20g
  • Chopped chives – ½ bunch
  • Lemon juice – 20ml
  • Varieties of heirloom tomatoes – 500g
  • Avocado – 1 whole
  • Grape seed oil – 20ml
  • Salt flakes
  • Robert Oatley olive oil – 30ml
  • Micro mache – 1 punnet

Tomato vinaigrette

  • Vine ripened tomatoes – 200g
  • Maple syrup – 30ml
  • Balsamic vinegar – 15ml
  • Rosemary – 1 sprig
  • Salt

Method

-          Mix the crab, crème fraiche, lemon juice and chives.

-          Cut and slice tomatoes to achieve desired presentation.

-          In a food processor, puree avocado then slowly emulsify in grape seed oil. Season with salt flakes. Place in a piping bag or container.

-          For the tomato vinaigrette, place all ingredients in a small pot and place over heat until the tomatoes start to blister. Remove the rosemary sprig then blitz all in a food processor until smooth. Pass through a chinois or fine sieve. Put mix in a piping bag.

-          Arrange tomato and crab on a plate to achieve the desired presentation. Pipe on tomato vinaigrette and avocado puree. Season tomatoes with salt flakes, dress with olive oil and garnish with herbs.

 

Meet The Chef

Alastair Waddell is executive chef at the award winning qualia resort, located at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Prior to qualia, Waddell was chef de partie at the 2 hatted Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne. Preceding his move to Australia, Waddell worked in his home town in Glasgow, Scotland with renowned chef, Paul Tamburrini

Alastair says the success of this popular Long Pavilion dish lies in its simplicity and the use of exquisite produce. "We are lucky enough to receive remarkably good Queensland tomatoes, the heirloom tomatoes are incredible, different shapes and sizes and all bursting with flavour". Served with another great Queensland product, spanner crab, this is a delicious dish that can be enjoyed as an elegant entree or a simple salad for lunch.