This simple summer recipe is full of character and bold flavours. Delicately seasoned crab meat is such an elegant addition and fantastic way to perk up your salads. This starter will definitely open up your appetite.

Crab and vermicelli salad with mango & red chilli

200g vermicelli rice noodles
200g picked white crab meat
1 red chilli
1 spring onion
1 firm mango
1 tbsp picked coriander leaves
1 tbsp finely sliced mint leaves

To prepare the dressing:

A drizzle of sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil (+ a drizzle)
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 whole lime (zest & juice)
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 tsp of fish sauce
1 tsp of soya sauce

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Then remove the pot from the heat and place the rice noodles inside. Soak them for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on their thickness) until tender.
Strain off the noodles and drizzle sesame oil on top to avoid them sticking.
Peel and slice both mango and spring onion into a julienne (fine match-stick like strips). Slice the red chilli in half and remove the seeds before finely slicing.
Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Add the sliced chilli to the liquid in order to diffuse the aromas.
Pour the dressing over the cooled vermicelli and mix together until all the noodles are properly coated.
Finally, delicately season the crab meat with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Incorporate the fresh herbs to the noodle salad and dress elegantly in a shallow bowl.

Wines to match with crab salad

Peter and Ulrich’s 2014 dry Riesling is the perfect match for this tangy summer dish. Crisp and refreshing; this German white wine won’t be overwhelmed by the bold flavours in this Asian crab salad.

For a slightly more original pairing, I suggest an off-dry Gewürztraminer from Paul Blanck 2015. This accomplished Alsatian wine delivers subtle exotic and flowery aromas that complements this spicy recipe. Finishing with well-balanced citrus notes that avoid any cloying.

Although a little pricier the Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé 2014 is definitely a special Sauvignon Blanc. Refreshing and somewhat thirst-quenching; this white wine from the Loire region is a real enhancement to any seafood dish.

The wines

Peter & Ulrich, Dry Riesling 2014 – This wine makes a wonderful marriage with seafood and other light dishes, offering the taste of parched apricot and peach with a hint of apple – a gentle harmony of sweet blossom and a sharper orchard tang.

UK

£11.99 from Majestic Wine

Paul Blanck, Gewürztraminer 2015 – An appealing mix of floral and spiced flavours, this wine’s strength lies in its clever balance. The unctuous offerings of ginger and lychee are complimented by zesty citrus notes that make it a splendid match for this dish.

UK

£14.99 from Waitrose

Ladoucette, Pouilly-Fumé 2015 – An appearance of light ambrosia with pebbly and coastal essences is animated by earthier, more herbaceous offerings for the palate. This wine will support and then enrich any seafood dish, and make itself noticed even amongst presumably bolder flavours.

UK

£30 from Majestic Wine

Michel Roux Jr was born in 1960 in Pembury, Kent, where his father Albert Roux worked as a private chef for the Cazalet family. His earliest food memories are the smells of the Fairlawne kitchen – pastry, sugar caramelizing and stews – where he played under the table while his father and mother Monique prepared the meals. After deciding to follow in his father’s footsteps, he left school at 16 for the first of several challenging apprenticeships at Maître Patissier, Hellegouarche in Paris from 1976 to 1979. He was then Commis de Cuisine at Alain Chapel’s signature restaurant at Mionay near Lyon, Michel’s biggest influence. His military service was spent in the kitchens at the Elysée Palace at the time of Presidents Giscard d’Estaing and François Mitterrand. He also spent time at Boucherie Lamartine and Charcuterie Mothu in Paris, and the Gavers Restaurant in London. After a stint at the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong he returned to London and worked at La Tante Claire before joining the family business. He took over running Le Gavroche in 1991, gradually changing the style of cooking to his own – classic French with a lighter, modern twist. Michel opened Roux at Parliament Square in May 2010 with Restaurant Associates, part of the Compass Group UK and Ireland. And in November 2010, he opened Roux at The Landau at London’s prestigious luxury hotel, The Langham. Michel was a judge and presenter on the BBC’s popular prime time show, MasterChef: The Professionals, and presented all series of ‘Great British Food Revival.’ Michel fronted BBC2’s ‘Food and Drink,’ in 2014 and presented a documentary on Escoffier, whose revolutionary approach to fine cuisine has inspired Michel and many others. In the same year, Michel went on a journey to create the perfect chocolate for the Le Gavroche Kitchen. Filmed by the BBC, in Paris he discovered chocolatiers, Cacao Barry and their Or Noir Lab. In 2013, Michel launched his most recent cookbook, ‘The French Kitchen’. Focusing on traditional French home cooking, this is the fifth solo cookery book from Michel. He is involved with the Roux Experience courses at the ‘Cactus Kitchens’ cookery school, with the Executive producer of Saturday Kitchen, Amanda Ross. Cactus Kitchens offers people the opportunity to learn to cook within small intimate groups from some of the UK’s finest chefs, on site above the Saturday Kitchen studios. Michel has fronted a brand new four-part Channel 4 series, ‘The Diner’, exploring the hurdles faced by people with disabilities and mental health issues when finding employment. Michel also recently presented a new program on his first ever project with the Disney Channel. ‘First Class Chefs’ which launched in June 2015, is a show where kids aged 9-11 compete to showcase their restaurant skills.