Bouchot mussels, brown crab with citrus fruit and saffron and mussel-infused cream

By Mathieu Guibert, Anne de Bretagne – La Plaine-sur-Mer

For 4

Ingredients :

800 g (28 oz.) mussels
30 g (1 oz.) shallots
20 cl (6.7 fl. oz.) white wine
120 g (4.2 oz.) brown crab, shelled
20 g (.7 oz.) carrots
20 g (.7 oz.) celeriac
100 g (3.5 oz.) fennel
1 bunch chives
Olive oil
25 cl (8.5 fl. oz.) mussel jus
10 saffron pistils
12 cl (4 fl. oz.) white wine
50 g (1.8 oz.) carrots
50 g (1.8 oz.) celery
20 g (.7 oz.) shallots
250 g (8.8 oz.) cream
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one lime

Step 1 : Cook the mussels in the marinière style until they open. Shell them and set aside their cooking juices.

Step 2 : Prepare the sauce: sweat the chopped shallots, 20 g (.7 oz.) carrots and finely chopped celery. Add the saffron and let sweat for a few minutes. Add the mussel jus, reduce by half and then add the cream. Cook for 15 minutes.

Step 3 : Chop the carrot and celeriac in brunoise and sweat in butter over gentle heat.

Step 4 : Cook and shell the crab, season with the lemon and lime zests and olive oil.

Step 5 : Cook the fennel in a large pot of salted water, then blend once cool. Add the cream after whipping it.

Step 6 : Spoon the carrot and celery mixture and chopped chives on a plate using a ring to make a circle.

Step 7 : Place the seasoned crab on top. Carefully arrange the mussels like the petals of a flower. Add the fennel cream in the middle. Decorate with a few herbs and flowers.