Zellwood Sweet Corn & Crab Recipe

Prepare the corn

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). If using whole ears, shuck the corn, remove silk, and cut kernels off the cobs using a sharp knife. Aim for about 4 cups of kernels.

Roast the kernels

Toss the corn kernels with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs butter, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a bowl until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast until caramelized

Roast in the preheated oven for 12–18 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan once halfway through, until kernels develop golden brown spots and a bit of char. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Slice and dress

While corn roasts, thinly slice the fennel bulb and celery. Place in a medium bowl with the minced shallot. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until emulsified.

Combine and rest

Pour the dressing over the fennel and celery, add 1 tbs chopped fresh dill, and toss to combine. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes so flavors mellow and vegetables soften slightly.

Prepare crab

While the corn is cooling and the salad rests, place 12 oz picked lump crab meat in a bowl and gently pick through to remove any stray shell pieces. Keep lumps intact where possible.

Make dressing

In a separate small bowl whisk together 3 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp hot sauce (optional), 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs minced chives, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth.

Dress the crab

Gently fold the dressing into the crab meat just until combined — do not overmix to preserve lumps. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon or salt if needed. Chill briefly (5–10 minutes) if desired.

Combine components: Add the roasted corn to the fennel-celery salad and toss gently to combine so the warm corn slightly softens the salad. Fold in about half of the dressed crab, reserving the rest for topping or serving in separate spoons.

Plate: Arrange a bed of microgreens or baby arugula on serving plates. Spoon the corn-fennel-crab mixture over the greens. Top with remaining crab to showcase the lumps.

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle a light dusting of smoked paprika if using, garnish with extra chives or dill, and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately so roasted corn warmth complements the chilled crab.