CRAB & NASTURTIUM SANDWICHES

SERVES 12 AS A HAND-AROUND APPETISER, OR 6 AS A SIT-DOWN STARTER

12 small soft brioche-style buns ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded 2 large handfuls of nasturtium leaves and flowers

CRAB REMOULADE

2 granny smith apples 8 radishes juice of ½ lemon 120g (½ cup) mayonnaise 125g (½ cup) crème fraîche 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard 1 teaspoon horseradish cream sauce 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped cornichons 1 tablespoon tiny capers, rinsed and drained well 2 tablespoons chopped dill 2 tablespoons chopped chives 200g picked crab meat

For the remoulade, cut the apples and radishes into fine matchsticks and immediately toss with the lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Stir in all the other ingredients except the crab, then finally fold in the crab meat. You can make this up to 6 hours ahead; any longer and the apple will lose its crunch and the radish colour will bleed.

When you’re ready to eat, split the buns and toast their cut sides, either by placing them cut-side down on a hot barbecue flatplate or chargrill pan, or cut-side up under a hot grill, for about 3 minutes. Watch closely, as brioche buns go from toasted to burnt pretty fast.

Place a generous spoonful of remoulade on the bottom half of each bun. Top with shredded lettuce and one or two nasturtium leaves and a flower, then close the bun. Arrange all the buns on a large platter liberally strewn with nasturtium flowers and leaves.

MAKE IT VEGETARIAN

Use charred sweetcorn instead of crab: grill two generous cobs of corn on the barbecue (or directly on a gas hob) until tender, then shave the kernels into the remoulade.

Hospitality comes in all shapes and sizes and what you can manage one year might be impossible the next. Offer only what you feel is achievable and what will make you happy, too.