There is a surprising variety of crabs found in different regions of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Crab lovers can make the best selections at the best prices when by being well-informed. Fred Thompson's Crazy for Crab is packed full of delightful crab recipes, instructions and illustrations.
Types of Crab
Lessons begin early on in Crazy for Crab with drawings and descriptions of Blue, Dungeness, King and Snow, Stone and Maine Crabs. Catching methods are described for each type, along with their regional availability and some basics on the selection process.
Buying and Storing Crabmeat
Crab is now shipped all over the world, so it is not necessary to be near its geographic home in order to purchase it. However, there is an enormous difference in flavor and quality between fresh, pasteurized, frozen or canned products, so learn when it's safe to choose less than top quality and when you need the real thing.
Picking Crabs
Crabs can be intimidating, even after they're cooked. There is a right and a wrong way to clean every crab, and learning to do it the way a professional does will yield the most meat with the least amount of frustration. For true crab lovers, a picking lesson is time well spent.
Recipes
There are recipes included for appetizers, soups, salads, all kinds of crab cakes, soft shells, blues, casseroles and a section on crab ideas for brunch, lunch and dinner. Be ready to purchase crabmeat after reading this book because the desire for it is sure to be strong.
Recipe Excerpt:
Crab and Lobster Cakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon Chesapeake Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 10 saltines, roughly crushed
- 1/2 pound crabmeat, jumbo lump backfin preferred, picked over for shells and cartilage
- 1/2 pound chopped cooked lobster meat, knuckle and tail meat preferred, picked over for shells and cartilage
- 1 1/2 cups corn flake crumbs
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions:
- Blend the mayonnaise and eggs together in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir in the Bay seasoning, mustard, and juices. Stir in the saltines until moist. Fold in the crabmeat and lobster gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Form the mixture into 8 cakes, about 1/3 cup each. Coat the cakes evenly with the corn flake crumbs and place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
- Heat the oil and butter together in a large sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter stops foaming, slide the cakes into the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags. (Draining on bags will give you a crisper crust.) Serve warm.
Title: Crazy for Crab
Author: Fred Thompson
Publisher: Harvard Common Press, 200 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55832-266-0
Price: $19.95
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