Crab salad with Lincolnshire Poacher, paprika and green peppercorn gougères

Makes eight large gougères to serve four as a starter, or 18-20 canape-sized ones

For the crab

• 250g water
• 80g unsalted butter
• 0.5 tsp flaked sea salt
• 100g plain flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 5 green peppercorns
• 4 eggs
• 130g mature cheddar cheese

• 250g white crab meat
• 1 lemon
• 1 big handful parsley leaves
• 0.5 red chilli
• 150g creme fraiche
• 3 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil

Step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6, and line two or three baking sheets with greased parchment paper.

Step 2
Mix all the crab ingredients in a bowl and season to taste; add more lemon juice, creme fraiche or oil, if you think it needs it.

Step 3
Put the water, butter and salt in a pan, bring to a boil, then whisk in the flour and spices.

Step 4
Whisk until the roux comes cleanly together into a ball that comes away from the sides of the pan.

Step 5
Leave to cool a little, then beat in one egg until the roux comes back together, then beat in the cheese and the rest of the eggs.

Step 6
Fill a cup with just-boiled water.

Step 7
Dip an ice-cream scoop (or two teaspoons) into the hot water, then scoop out eight large, smooth balls and place on the baking sheet (or 18-20 smaller ones); dip the scoop in the hot water before tackling each new ball.

Step 8
The smoother the gougères are before baking, the better, so to finish, dip a teaspoon into the hot water and run the back of it over each ball.

Step 9
Bake for 30-35 minutes for the larger gougères, or 10-15 minutes for the smaller ones: they should be golden, crisp and light, with an almost hollow and slightly soft centre.

Step 10
Serve warm from the oven on plates with the salad on the side (or, if you want to get ahead, leave to cool completely on a rack and serve later).

Step 11
To serve these as a canape platter, split open the mini gougères and stuff with the crab mix.