James sets out to impress by preparing everything from scratch for this tasty seafood soup. Find out what else went on in Coventry
1. Place crabs in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to send them to sleep. Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. When the crabs are drowsy, add to the pan, return to the boil and cook for 20-25 minutes. When the crabs are cooked, tip into the sink and rinse under running water until they are thoroughly cold.
2. Next, lay each crab on its back and twist off the large front claws - these contain most of the white meat. Break off all the other legs. Lift up and break off the tail flap and discard. Insert the blade of a large knife between the body and back shell and twist to release it. Push upwards on the body and it should come away in one piece.
3. Remove and discard the grey feathery gills – which are known as ‘dead man’s fingers’. Now cut the body section into quarters using a large knife. Using a crab pick or short skewer extract the crab meat from the body.
4. To remove the brown meat from the back shell, first remove the stomach sac by pressing on the little piece of shell located just behind the eyes. The bone and stomach will come away together. Scrape out all the crab meat into a bowl. Crack the front claws with a hammer and add the crab meat to the bowl. Do the same with any of the larger legs. You should end up with a good mix of white and brown meat in the bowl. Set aside.
5. Heat the oil and the butter in a large pan until the butter melts. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.
6. Pour over 2 litres of water, crumble in the stock cubes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add the basil and thyme.
7. Stir in all the crab meat and remove the pan from the heat. Carefully blend with a hand blender until smooth – watching out for splashes. Return the pan to the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream and reduce the liquid over a medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Season to taste before serving.
Please note this recipe has not been tested professionally. Like the Come Dine With Me contestants, you could be creating a culinary delight or dining disaster, so switch on your ovens and be bold
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