General: This combination of mushrooms and crabmeat, frozen or tinned, makes a good starter. Shrimps can be substituted for crab. Serves 4-6.

225g crab meat

225g mushrooms

2 cloves garlic

juice of ½ a lemon

Tabasco sauce

90ml olive oil

2ml castor sugar

salt and black pepper

Trim and finely chop mushrooms into a bowl.

Crush garlic and add to mushrooms, together with strained lemon juice, a few drops of Tabasco and olive oil.

Season with sugar, salt and freshly ground pepper.

Blend all ingredients thoroughly and spoon into a shallow dish.

Leave to chill for 1 hour. Just before serving, blend the flaked crabmeat with the cream and stir this mixture into the mushrooms.

Garnish with chopped olives/parsley.

Can serve it with crusty warm bread or a green salad.