The perfect spring-time recipe to enjoy, there’s no better way to eat seasonally than to cook with Jersey Royal potatoes. Jersey Royals are in season from March to July in the UK and this recipe makes the perfect accompaniment for any Spring-time meal.
450g Jersey Royal New Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 tsp sweet, smoked paprika
150g white crab meat
50g brown crab meat
100g watercress, to serve
A squeeze of lemon
2 tbsp baby capers, to serve
For the aioli
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 egg yolks
1 lemon, halved
200ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
200ml vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, to serve
Put the Jersey Royal New Potatoes into a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain through a colander and leave to steam dry.
Make the aioli next. Put the garlic in a tall measuring jug with the egg yolks, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and several large pinches of salt. Blitz with a stick blender for 30 seconds, then start slowly pouring in the olive oil, very slowly, in a thin, steady trickle as you blend. After a minute, increase the trickle to a thin stream, continuing to blend. Once you have poured in the olive oil, pour in the vegetable oil, now in a thicker stream, until it is all mixed in. Add 30ml of water to thin down if needed. Check for seasoning, adding more lemon or salt to taste. Combine the white and brown crab, then mix 3 tbsp of this mayo into the crab and season with plenty of black pepper and a squeeze more lemon juice.
Heat a large frying pan and when hot add the 3 tbsp olive oil. Add the Jersey Royal New Potatoes, season well and fry over a medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, turning regularly, until golden and turning crispy, adding the paprika for the final minute. Season with salt while still in the pan.
Dress the watercress with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Scatter the watercress with the capers and serve with crab, Jersey Royal New Potatoes, more aioli on the side and a lemon wedge.
