Steamed Scottish sea kale and white sprouting broccoli with crab, smoked roe and seaweed

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When working with ingredients at the peak of their season, you want to keep things simple – and that's exactly what chef Mark Kempson does here. Featuring white sprouting broccoli and Scottish sea kale (which is in season from January until early April), the dish is enveloped in a buttery crab sauce and finished with a spoonful of rich taramasalata.

Sea kale can be tough to find, farmed exclusively by Eassie Farm in Scotland, but suppliers including Natoora do stock it when in season too. You could also use asparagus as a sort-of substitute, along with other varieties of sprouting broccoli. The key is to ensure whatever you're using is at the height of its season.

First published in 2021

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Equipment

  • Large steamer

Method

1
Set up a large steamer pan half-filled with water and bring to the boil. Trim the sea kale into 10cm lengths, ensuring the head remains intact, then trim the broccoli stalks and peel the stems lightly. Wash both of them separately in iced water until clean and crisp, then drain and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave to sit for 30 seconds
2
Steam both the kale and broccoli for 5-7 minutes, until just tender, then cover and leave to cool naturally. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your steamer, but this will be fine as you need to allow the kale and broccoli to cool anyway
3
While the kale and broccoli cools, prepare the sauce (this can be done in advance and reheated if desired). Place a medium-sized pan over a medium heat, then add the crab (or shellfish) stock and butter. Bring to a simmer then allow to reduce by a third
4
Once reduced and thickened, remove the sauce from the heat and finely zest the lemon into it, along with a squeeze of lemon juice, the chervil and the crab meat
5
To serve, ensure your 4 serving bowls are warmed until hot to the touch. Reheat the sauce if needed, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the cooled sea kale and broccoli in the bowls, then spoon the sauce over the top, ensuring they’re evenly covered. Finish with a spoonful of taramasalata and a sprinkle of nori powder
First published in 2021

After a decade at the helm of Michelin-starred London restaurant Kitchen W8, Mark Kempson continues to encapsulate everything great about modern, seasonal British cookery.

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