Chef Tommy Shorthouse’s Chilled Dungeness Crab With Fanny Bay Mango-Chili Aïoli  

Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market is one of B.C.’s finest seafood dining experiences. From the eponymous bivalve to salmon and squid, Fanny Bay takes the same seafood it sells direct to consumers in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island and crafts fantastic seasonal dishes. This week, executive chef Tommy Shorthouse has provided a recipe for a chilled dish that takes advantage of the bountiful Dungeness crab currently being harvested along the West Coast. The interplay between the crab’s cold temperature and the Calabrian chili’s spice makes a summer treat that keeps your tastebuds intrigued.

Ingredients

2 freshly cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab

1/2 cup mango (no skin)

1 lime (zested and juiced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 tablespoons crushed Calabrian chili

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 cups mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon cilantro (finely chopped)

Method

Chill freshly cooked and cleaned crab in the fridge.

In a blender, combine the mango, lime zest and juice, garlic, chili, honey, and olive oil. Blend until smooth and well combined.

Place mayonnaise in a medium bowl and pour the blended mango mixture in, whisking to combine.

Add salt and pepper to taste, as well as the chopped cilantro.

Remove chilled crab from the fridge and crack it. Serve fresh with the aïoli as a dipping sauce.

This aïoli is best the day following preparation and can keep up to five days in the fridge. It can also be used as a dressing for summer salads or even as a topping for grilled chicken.