Tomato and fennel essence with oysters, Dublin Bay prawns and crab

Ingredients

For the tomato and fennel essence
1.5kg/3lb 5oz dark red, over-ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
5 celery sticks, chopped
2 large shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
100g/4oz light soft brown sugar
1 tsp each chopped basil, chervil and coriander
50ml/2fl oz pastis
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch salt
pinch cayenne pepper
For the shellfish
12 raw Dublin Bay prawns (langoustines) in their shells
4 fresh oysters in their shells
1 cooked crab
fresh soda bread, to serve
For the garnish
4 basil leaves
1 sprig coriander, leaves only
1 ripe tomato, skinned, deseeded and diced

Method

1. For the essence, put all the essence ingredients in a blender with 1.5 litres/2¾ pints cold water. Purée, then pour into a very fine sieve placed over a bowl. Leave to strain overnight in the fridge.
2. The next day, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
3. For the shellfish, drop the prawns into a saucepan of boiling salted water. Return to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the prawns and leave to cool, then peel off the shells.
4. Open the oysters carefully using an oyster knife. Keep them refrigerated in their liquor until required.
5. Remove the claws from the crab, crack open with a rolling pin or small hammer and remove the white meat. Remove the white meat from the body. Flake all the white meat (do not use any brown meat - save it for another dish).
6. Divide the white crab meat among four ovenproof bowls and top each with three prawns, followed by a single drained oyster. Put the bowls in the oven and warm the shellfish through for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the strained essence into a saucepan and heat.
7. Ladle the hot essence over the warm shellfish, and garnish with the herb leaves and diced tomato. Serve immediately, with fresh soda bread.