For ➍2 thick naganegi (or leeks)
20 cl water
1 ts gelatin
½ chicken broth cube
2 tbs fresh cream
1 tbs mayonnaise
dash sugar
100 g crab meat, cooked & shredded*
Cut the leeks into 4 cm lengths. Put in a saucepan of boiling water for 6 to 7 m, until slightly soft. Drain and cool. When cool, push out and remove the centers, leaving 2-3 layers of skin.
Combine the water, gelatin, and broth cube in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave for 1 m.
Take out 2 ⅔ tbs (some 4 cl) of the gelatin liquid and put it in a small mixing bowl. Add the fresh cream, mayonnaise, sugar and crab meat, and mix. Set this bowl into a larger bowl of ice to chill.
When the mixture has jelled, use it to stuff the naganegi pieces. Refrigerate the remaining gelatin mixture for about 2 h. When chilled, spread it over serving plates, and arrange the stuffed naganegi on top.
Cut into small bites and serve as an appetizer with dry white wine, dry sherry or sake.
*Use fresh crab, or a good brand of canned or frozen crab.
The crab image comes from a 18th century Japanese woodblock album.
