Grilled Crabs With Champagne And Chervil Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 None blue swimmer crabs or blue crabs
None None Crusty bread, to serve
None None FOR THE CHAMPAGNE AND CHERVIL SAUCE
1 1/4 cups champagne or sparkling wine
1 tbsp anise liqueur
1 None shallot, chopped
4 strips lemon peel
1 bunch chervil, stalks and leaves separated
3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
None None Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the grill. Once well heated, reduce flame to medium-low. Place crabs shell-side down on grill. Close lid and cook crabs for 10 mins. Turn crabs, replace lid and cook for 5 mins, or until crabs have changed color and meat is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to rest.
Meanwhile, place Champagne or sparking wine, liqueur, shallot, lemon peel and chervil stalks a saucepan on the hottest part of the grill. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 8-10 mins or until reduced by half.
Strain through sieve and discard solids. Return liquid to saucepan on the grill. Add butter to liquid cube by cube, whisking continually. Wait for each cube to melt before adding next. Season to taste.
Halve crabs with knife and remove gills. Transfer crab halves to large bowl or platter. Drizzle with sauce. Garnish with chervil leaves. Serve with crusty bread.