Crab bisque is a marvellous pot of flavour served in the best restaurants in France. Here we have taken the concept and, using New Zealand’s finest produce, given it that kiwi edge. The Kāpiti Ramara toast, with its velvety creamy texture and zing from the rind, compliments the rich bisque, resulting in a fantastic almost crab fondue experience.

Crab Bisque

  • 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
  • 1ea onion, diced 
  • 1ea fennel bulb, diced
  • 1ea carrot, diced
  • 2ea bay leaves
  • 1ea garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2ea whole crabs, cut and cleaned
  • 50g fresh white crab meat 
  • (for serving)
  • Pinch of saffron
  • 3 tbsp brandy
  • 1L good-quality fish stock 100ml Anchor Cream
  • 1ea lemon zest plus a squeeze of juice

 

Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, fennel, carrot and bay leaves with a pinch of salt and cook for 10 mins until really tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then stir in the tomato purée for another 1 min. Add the brown crab meat, saffron, brandy and some pepper, stirring until the brandy has bubbled away. Add the stock and stir until smooth. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15–20 mins or until the vegetables are soft.

Using a hand blender, blitz the soup until smooth. Pass the soup through a sieve back into a clean saucepan, making sure you push through as much liquid as possible. Add the cream and simmer for 5 mins – the soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a few drops of lemon juice, taste and season or add more lemon if necessary, then chill until ready to serve.

Serve hot with the white crab meat sprinkled on top with a little olive oil and chervil, use the toastie to dip into all that goodness.

Ramara Cheese Toastie

  • 150g Kāpiti Ramara cheese, sliced 
  • 1ea French breadstick 
  • Salt and pepper 
  • A drizzle of olive oil

Method

Slice the French stick into long slices and cover with the sliced Kāpiti Ramara.

Drizzle with the olive oil and season, bake in the oven or under the grill until the cheese has started to bubble. Serve hot.

Tarragon & Seaweed Butter

  • 250g Mainland Unsalted Butter softened
  • 10g fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp kawakawa powder 
  • 1 tbsp seaweed powder or dried seaweed blitz
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • Salt and cracked pepper 

Method

Add the soft butter to a bowl and whisk until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until well mixed, keep refrigerated but remember to take it out 1 hour before serving to ensure its nice and soft. 

Keep the crab claws and use them to garnish – who doesn’t love sucking crab meat out of a claw?

A reddish washed-rind cheese with white mould. Ramara has an earthy, yeasty aroma and a slightly sweet, mild and buttery flavour. It’s soft and spongy when young, and flowing when mature.

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