Warm Crab Scrambled Eggs with Polenta
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Creamy scrambled eggs and soft polenta is a magical combo and this is a dish I’ve served time and again. Farofa is flour made from cassava (often called yuca), the tuber root of the South American shrub Manihot esculenta. It’s a common ingredient in Brazil and can be found in Australia at speciality delis, markets and online grocers selling international food.
Recipe details
Serves: Recipe for 4.
Protein: Seafood
Ingredients
8 eggs
20 ml (¾ fl oz) of cream
80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) oil
1 tablespoon annatto paste (found in most South American shops)
2 teaspoons paprika
2 spring onions (scallions), minced
160 g (5½ oz) spanner crab (raw weight, meat picked)
lime juice, to taste
100 g (3½ oz) Brazil nuts, shaved on a mandoline
100 g (3½ oz) farofa or 50 g (1¾ oz) popcorn, blitzed to a powder
Polenta
300 ml (10 fl oz) milk
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cloves
60 g (2 oz) polenta
20 g (¾ oz) parmesan, grated
Method
In a large saucepan over a medium–high heat, bring the milk to the boil. Put the aromatics and spices in a heatproof bowl and carefully pour the hot milk over. Allow the milk to infuse for 20 minutes, then strain the milk, discarding the solids, and pour into a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the polenta. As it comes to the boil, remove from the heat and let it rest with a lid on for 10 minutes. Fold through the parmesan and set aside, covered, so it stays warm.
For the eggs, in a bowl whisk together the eggs and cream and then strain through a fine strainer and set aside.
In a small saucepan over a medium heat combine the oil, annatto paste and paprika until simmering. Carefully strain the oil and pour into a heatproof bowl and reserve. Heat a non-stick pan over a low heat with the egg mix and half the red oil. Fold the eggs slowly, and once the curds are set transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return the same pan to the stove, turn the heat up and sauté the spring onion. Add the crab and cook for around 2 minutes, just until the flesh turns white, then mix through the remaining red oil and eggs. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.
To serve, place a nice spoonful of the warm polenta on each plate, add the crab scrambled eggs to one side and garnish with the shaved Brazil nuts and the popcorn powder.