Recipes :Dressed crab

The MasterChef judge prepares a seafood classic step by step

Put a knife between the body and head of the crab and twist to loosen it, then pull the top shell away (pic 1). Pull away the grey feathery gills from the body and discard. Scoop the brown meat from the top shell, discarding any plasticky-looking membrane (pic 2), and put in a bowl. the brown meat is quite wet, so add enough breadcrumbs to just bind it a little, then season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and tabasco or cayenne, a little at a time until you get the balance you like.
Pull the claws and legs from the body of the crab. If you have time, there is meat to be teased from the spindlier legs using a pick; otherwise use them in a stock or soup. Crack the two large front claws with a mallet or the back of a heavy knife, then pick out the white meat, keeping it as chunky as possible (pic 3). Use a heavy knife to split the body of the crab down the middle (pic 4), then tease out the rest of the flesh from the little cavities in the body (pic 5). Collect all the white meat in a separate bowl and rub through it with your fingers to check for stray bits of shell.
Give the empty shell a good scrub and trim using strong scissors. Spoon the white meat back into the top shell, then the flavoured brown meat. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread, mayo and extra lemon.