Herbed crab, saffron and chilli mayonnaise with toasted baguette

Method

1. Put the bread for the toasted baguette in the freezer while you prepare the mayonnaise. Using metal kitchen tongs, put the chilli directly over the flame of a gas hob, turning occasionally, for 5-8 minutes until completely blackened. (Or char under a hot grill.) Put the charred chilli in a freezer bag, seal and leave to steam for 5 minutes, then rub off the skin and roughly chop the flesh (taste the chilli first and discard the seeds/pith if very hot). Leave to cool.
2. Whizz the egg yolks, vinegar, chilli, mustard and a good pinch of salt in a food processor, or whisk in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until well combined. Put the sunflower oil in a jug, then very slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture while whisking (if you’re not using a freestanding mixer, get someone to pour while you whisk) until the mixture starts to thicken. If it doesn’t thicken after a couple of minutes, stop adding the oil and whisk until the mixture thickens up a little, then continue adding the oil as you whisk. If at any point the mixture looks like it’s getting greasy or starting to split, add a small splash of cold water and keep w isking. You may also need to whisk in a splash of water if it gets too thick before you’ve added all the oil – stop now and then and have a look at the mixture. Once you’ve incorporated all the oil, you should have a thick mayonnaise. Briefly whisk in the saffron and its soaking water, the crushed garlic and the brown crabmeat. Taste and season, adding a bit of lemon juice if you like – it should be quite sharp.
3. Once the bread is hard but not frozen, slice as thinly as you can and lay out on 1-2 baking sheets. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Bake the baguette slices for 8-10 minutes until crisp and lightly golden all over. Cool on wire racks.
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4. Mix the white crabmeat with the chopped herbs and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Pile into 8 small bowls, put some mayo in other small bowls and divide among 8 dinner plates. Put 4-5 slices of toasted baguette on each plate and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.