The crab should be honoured – imitation really is the highest form of flattery. How many foods can boast a look-alike, a mimic, a poseur, an impersonator, that actually rivals the real thing? Well … crab does. If you are not familiar with this crab copycat, then listen up. It looks like crab, it acts like crab and for those who really don’t know any better (which is a few of us) it taste like crab – and is a heckuva lot easier to eat, no digging required. If you haven’t wondered yet, you should have – if it’s imitation, then what the heck is it made of? Thankfully, fish does stand in here, as the great pretender – along with a few other ingredients to create this tasty seafood stand-in, known by insiders as surimi. So, do not be afraid – unlike other faux foods – this is simply one which swaps uptown for downtown – seafood for fish – headed wherever you want it to, and in this case, it’s headed for a pizza.

And when you help it along in the flavour department, and follow it up with some serious searing – your family and friends will wonder how you’re managing to serve one of the most delectable delicacies the ocean has to offer as often as canned tuna – well, it’ll be our little secret. It’s most often found in salad rolls and sushi, served cold – which certainly is a tasty way to enjoy it, but get a little heat going and you will be somewhere else entirely. Where, you ask? Well read on to find out where a mess of seared surimi can end up …