Crab stretch

Name: Crab stretch
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: PT15-20M
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 2-3 as a main or 4 as a starter
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: Olive oil for frying; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 courgette, sliced; 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced; 250g cherry tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 100ml dry white wine; 100g green beans, trimmed; 150g crème fraîche; Juice 1 lemon; 150g fresh white crabmeat or meat from a 1.2kg whole crab – see tips; 30g dried breadcrumbs; 40g parmesan, grated; You’ll also need…; 1.3 litre ovenproof dish

Published: 28 Jul 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

delicious. editor Karen’s Cornish grandmother used to make a gratin-style dish to eke out fresh crabmeat. We drew inspiration from that to create this creamy crab, fennel and tomato bake, with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

Easy
June 2017

Test kitchen approved

Serves 2-3 as a main or 4 as a starter
Hands-on time 25 min, oven time 15-20 min

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 355kcals
Fat: 24.3g (13g saturated)
Protein: 15.1g
Carbohydrates: 12.7g (6.5g sugars)
Fibre: 3.4g
Salt: 0.6g

For 4

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Ingredients

Olive oil for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
1 courgette, sliced
1 fennel bulb, finely sliced
250g cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml dry white wine
100g green beans, trimmed
150g crème fraîche
Juice 1 lemon
150g fresh white crabmeat or meat from a 1.2kg whole crab – see tips
30g dried breadcrumbs
40g parmesan, grated

You’ll also need…

1.3 litre ovenproof dish

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Method

Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Heat a large frying pan with a glug of oil. Add the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the courgette and fennel (see tip) and fry for 10 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and white wine. Stir for 3-4 minutes, then add the beans. Bring to the boil and bubble for 2-3 minutes, then take off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche and lemon juice.
Pour the veg into the ovenproof dish. Top with the crabmeat, then the breadcrumbs. Scatter with the parmesan, then bake for 15-20 minutes until the gratin is golden brown and hot throughout. Serve with a green salad if you like.