5-1/2 pounds of crab sounds like an awful lot to feed four people, but
that's the weight before cooking...

Tortas de Cangrejo (Crab Cakes)
(Receta para 4 personas) (Serves 4 people)

Ingredientes: (Ingredients)

2 1/2 kg. de cangrejo (5-1/2 pounds of crab)
1/2 cebolla (picadita) (1/2 of a shredded onion)
1/2 pimentón rojo (picadito) (1/2 of a red pepper, finely shredded)
2 ramitas de perejil (picadito) (2 sprigs of cilantro, finely shredded)
5 dientes de ajo (picaditos) (5 cloves of garlic, finely shredded)
salsa Inglesa (5 toques) (5 squirts of worcestershire sauce)
pan molido (3 cucharadas)(3 tablespoons of bread crumbs)
1/4 de taza de mayonesa (1/4 cup of mayonnaise)
vinagre de vino (wine vinegar)
harina de maíz y de trigo, cantidad suficiente para empanar (white
corn meal and wheat flour, quantity sufficient to bread the crab cakes)
hojas de laurel (bay leaves)
sal al gusto (salt to taste)

For the salsa de pimiento rojo (red pepper salsa):
1 limón (1 lemon)
2 anchoas (2 anchovies)
1/4 de taza de vino blanco (1/4 cup of white wine)
2 cucharadita de mostaza (2 teaspoon of mustard)
aceite de oliva (olive oil)
1 pimiento rojo (1 red pepper)
3 dientes de ajo (3 cloves of garlic)

Preparación de los cangrejos: (Preparation of the crabs

Los cangrejos se lavan bien y se ponen a cocción, que queden cubiertos
con el agua.

(Wash the crabs well and put them to cook, so they remain covered with
water.)

Se les agrega dos hojas de laurel y sal al gusto.

(Add the bay leaves and salt to taste.)

Se dejan cocinar 1/2 hora aproximadamente, mientras cocinan se va
preparando la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Let them cook for about half an hour, while the red pepper salsa is
being prepared.)

Se retiran del fuego y se dejan enfriar, luego se abren, incluyendo las
patas, y se les quita la carne.

(Remove the crabs from the fire and let them cool, then open them,
including the claws, and remove the crab meat.)

La misma se va desmoronando.

(The same are going to be torn apart.)

La carne se condimenta con la cebolla, el pimentón, el perejil y los
ajos previamente picaditos.

(Season the crab meat with the onion, the pepper, the parsley and the
garlic which was previously shredded.)

Se le agrega 5 toques de salsa inglesa, 3 cucharadas de pan molido o
rallado y un toquecito de vinagre, preferiblemente vinagre de vino.

(Add 5 squirts of worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs,
and a small squirt of vinegar, preferably wine vinegar.)

Se revuelve muy bien y se le agrega 1/4 de taza de mayonesa
mezclándolo con las manos hasta que esté suficientemente compacto y
se deja reposar
por 5 minutos.

(Mix very well and add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, mixing with the hands
until it is sufficiently compact and allow to rest for five minutes.)

A continuación en un plato sopero o en una bandeja se pone la harina
de maiz y la harina de trigo en porciones iguales, luego con la mezcla
anterior se hacen bolitas y se aplastan dejándole un grosor aproximado
de 1cm. y se empanizan en la harina.

(Continuing, put equal amounts of corn meal and the wheat flour in a
soup bowl or on a tray, then with the mixture of crab meat and spices
make balls and squash them until they are about 1/2 an inch thick, and
bread them en the flour and corn meal mixture.)

En una sartén se calienta suficiente aceite de oliva cuando esté bien
caliente se comienzan a freir las torticas con mucho cuidado de que no
se quemen, cuando estén doraditas se colocan en una bandeja para luego
añadirle la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Heat sufficient olive oil in a frying pan and when it is well heated,
begin to fry the cakes carefully so they don't burn, when they are a
little golden put them on a tray for then adding the red pepper sauce.)

Preparación la salsa: (Preparation of the salsa

El pimentón rojo se pone en la plancha a asar luego que está listo se
pela y se corta en pedazos.

(Put the red pepper on the grill a roast, then when it is ready, peel
it and cut it into pieces.)

A continuación en la licuadora se vierte el jugo del limón las dos
anchoas, los 3 dientes de ajo, 2 cucharaditas de mostaza, 1/4 de taza
de vino blanco y el pimiento (ésto no queda totalmente triturado) se
le va agregando el aceite de oliva mientras se licúa y no debe pasar
de 1/2 taza.

(Continuing in the blender, add the juice of the lemon, the two
anchovies, the three cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of mustard,
1/4 cup of white wine and the pepper (do not allow this to be totally
liquefied) and one is going to be adding the olive oil while the salsa
is blending and shouldn't exceed 1/2 a cup.)

Cuando la salsa está lista se guarda en un envase hasta preparar las
torticas de los cangrejos.

(When the salsa is ready, reserve it in a container until the crab
cakes are prepared.)

Proceda a bañarlas con esta salsa.

(Proceed to bathe them with this salsa.)

"The Galloping Gourmand" > wrote in message
ups.com...
5-1/2 pounds of crab sounds like an awful lot to feed four people, but
that's the weight before cooking...

Tortas de Cangrejo (Crab Cakes)
(Receta para 4 personas) (Serves 4 people)

Ingredientes: (Ingredients)

2 1/2 kg. de cangrejo (5-1/2 pounds of crab)
1/2 cebolla (picadita) (1/2 of a shredded onion)
1/2 pimentón rojo (picadito) (1/2 of a red pepper, finely shredded)
2 ramitas de perejil (picadito) (2 sprigs of cilantro, finely shredded)
5 dientes de ajo (picaditos) (5 cloves of garlic, finely shredded)
salsa Inglesa (5 toques) (5 squirts of worcestershire sauce)
pan molido (3 cucharadas)(3 tablespoons of bread crumbs)
1/4 de taza de mayonesa (1/4 cup of mayonnaise)
vinagre de vino (wine vinegar)
harina de maíz y de trigo, cantidad suficiente para empanar (white
corn meal and wheat flour, quantity sufficient to bread the crab cakes)
hojas de laurel (bay leaves)
sal al gusto (salt to taste)

For the salsa de pimiento rojo (red pepper salsa):
1 limón (1 lemon)
2 anchoas (2 anchovies)
1/4 de taza de vino blanco (1/4 cup of white wine)
2 cucharadita de mostaza (2 teaspoon of mustard)
aceite de oliva (olive oil)
1 pimiento rojo (1 red pepper)
3 dientes de ajo (3 cloves of garlic)

Preparación de los cangrejos: (Preparation of the crabs

Los cangrejos se lavan bien y se ponen a cocción, que queden cubiertos
con el agua.

(Wash the crabs well and put them to cook, so they remain covered with
water.)

Se les agrega dos hojas de laurel y sal al gusto.

(Add the bay leaves and salt to taste.)

Se dejan cocinar 1/2 hora aproximadamente, mientras cocinan se va
preparando la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Let them cook for about half an hour, while the red pepper salsa is
being prepared.)

Se retiran del fuego y se dejan enfriar, luego se abren, incluyendo las
patas, y se les quita la carne.

(Remove the crabs from the fire and let them cool, then open them,
including the claws, and remove the crab meat.)

La misma se va desmoronando.

(The same are going to be torn apart.)

La carne se condimenta con la cebolla, el pimentón, el perejil y los
ajos previamente picaditos.

(Season the crab meat with the onion, the pepper, the parsley and the
garlic which was previously shredded.)

Se le agrega 5 toques de salsa inglesa, 3 cucharadas de pan molido o
rallado y un toquecito de vinagre, preferiblemente vinagre de vino.

(Add 5 squirts of worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs,
and a small squirt of vinegar, preferably wine vinegar.)

Se revuelve muy bien y se le agrega 1/4 de taza de mayonesa
mezclándolo con las manos hasta que esté suficientemente compacto y
se deja reposar
por 5 minutos.

(Mix very well and add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, mixing with the hands
until it is sufficiently compact and allow to rest for five minutes.)

A continuación en un plato sopero o en una bandeja se pone la harina
de maiz y la harina de trigo en porciones iguales, luego con la mezcla
anterior se hacen bolitas y se aplastan dejándole un grosor aproximado
de 1cm. y se empanizan en la harina.

(Continuing, put equal amounts of corn meal and the wheat flour in a
soup bowl or on a tray, then with the mixture of crab meat and spices
make balls and squash them until they are about 1/2 an inch thick, and
bread them en the flour and corn meal mixture.)

En una sartén se calienta suficiente aceite de oliva cuando esté bien
caliente se comienzan a freir las torticas con mucho cuidado de que no
se quemen, cuando estén doraditas se colocan en una bandeja para luego
añadirle la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Heat sufficient olive oil in a frying pan and when it is well heated,
begin to fry the cakes carefully so they don't burn, when they are a
little golden put them on a tray for then adding the red pepper sauce.)

Preparación la salsa: (Preparation of the salsa

El pimentón rojo se pone en la plancha a asar luego que está listo se
pela y se corta en pedazos.

(Put the red pepper on the grill a roast, then when it is ready, peel
it and cut it into pieces.)

A continuación en la licuadora se vierte el jugo del limón las dos
anchoas, los 3 dientes de ajo, 2 cucharaditas de mostaza, 1/4 de taza
de vino blanco y el pimiento (ésto no queda totalmente triturado) se
le va agregando el aceite de oliva mientras se licúa y no debe pasar
de 1/2 taza.

(Continuing in the blender, add the juice of the lemon, the two
anchovies, the three cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of mustard,
1/4 cup of white wine and the pepper (do not allow this to be totally
liquefied) and one is going to be adding the olive oil while the salsa
is blending and shouldn't exceed 1/2 a cup.)

Cuando la salsa está lista se guarda en un envase hasta preparar las
torticas de los cangrejos.

(When the salsa is ready, reserve it in a container until the crab
cakes are prepared.)

Proceda a bañarlas con esta salsa.

(Proceed to bathe them with this salsa.)

---------------------------

Wayne speaketh: A note here.... put the crabs to cook live, otherwise the
half hour cooking will kill that wonderful fresh crabe taste and texture.
That's how you kill them. You boil them alive just like you would a lobster.

Perejil... I'm not sure, but isn't that Parsley and not Cilantro
(coreander)?

On Jan 24, 11:17 am, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:
> "The Galloping Gourmand" > wrote in oglegroups.com...
> 5-1/2 pounds of crab sounds like an awful lot to feed four people, but
> that's the weight before cooking...

There isn't much yield from cooking whole crabs... which is the way I
read this. 5 1/2 pounds of crab meat would be overkill... but 5 1/2
pounds of whole (blue) crabs is very little.

Jack

"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
>
> On Jan 24, 11:17 am, "Wayne Lundberg" >
> wrote:
> > "The Galloping Gourmand" > wrote in
oglegroups.com...
> > 5-1/2 pounds of crab sounds like an awful lot to feed four people, but
> > that's the weight before cooking...
>
> There isn't much yield from cooking whole crabs... which is the way I
> read this. 5 1/2 pounds of crab meat would be overkill... but 5 1/2
> pounds of whole (blue) crabs is very little.
>
> Jack
>
I'm a crab lover! Experience is that a two pound crab will yield about a
quarter pound of meat when all is said and done. I like my crab unfretted,
with just some mayo on the side... potato chips and cole slaw with Wente
Brother's Johannesburg Riesling make me feel like I own the world, like the
King of all kings.

Wayne

On Jan 24, 1:22 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:
> > JackI'm a crab lover! Experience is that a two pound crab will yield about a
> quarter pound of meat when all is said and done. I like my crab unfretted,
> with just some mayo on the side... potato chips and cole slaw with Wente
> Brother's Johannesburg Riesling make me feel like I own the world, like the
> King of all kings.
>
> Wayne

I grew up two blocks from Galveston Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico. My
sister and I spent our Summers (as 8-12 year olds) crabbing every day
and bringing home wash tubs full of crabs. We had them boiled, fried,
in gumbo, etc. However, the Mayo thing you mentioned doesn't really
turn me on... we just picked out the meat and ate it cold turkey.
Ummmm. I also have to say that the Riesling thing doesn't do it for
me, either. I like really dry wines... even with seafood. But, now,
as a codger, I like Bloody Mary's with my boiled or fried seafood...
and maybe a little cocktall sauce every 5th or 6th lump of crab meat.

As far as crab cakes are concerned, I like the recipe from Brennan's
Restaurant for them. Almost no "binder" and filler... huge jumbo lumps
barely stuck together. The crab meat can only be handled once and
stirred very carefully when blending the ingredients, so that the lumps
are huge and not shredded.

Jack

In Maryland, blue crabs are served with Old Bay seasoning and some people
like vinegar with them. The truly decadent use melted butter.
"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> On Jan 24, 1:22 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
> wrote:
>> > JackI'm a crab lover! Experience is that a two pound crab will yield
>> > about a
>> quarter pound of meat when all is said and done. I like my crab
>> unfretted,
>> with just some mayo on the side... potato chips and cole slaw with Wente
>> Brother's Johannesburg Riesling make me feel like I own the world, like
>> the
>> King of all kings.
>>
>> Wayne
>
> I grew up two blocks from Galveston Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico. My
> sister and I spent our Summers (as 8-12 year olds) crabbing every day
> and bringing home wash tubs full of crabs. We had them boiled, fried,
> in gumbo, etc. However, the Mayo thing you mentioned doesn't really
> turn me on... we just picked out the meat and ate it cold turkey.
> Ummmm. I also have to say that the Riesling thing doesn't do it for
> me, either. I like really dry wines... even with seafood. But, now,
> as a codger, I like Bloody Mary's with my boiled or fried seafood...
> and maybe a little cocktall sauce every 5th or 6th lump of crab meat.
>
> As far as crab cakes are concerned, I like the recipe from Brennan's
> Restaurant for them. Almost no "binder" and filler... huge jumbo lumps
> barely stuck together. The crab meat can only be handled once and
> stirred very carefully when blending the ingredients, so that the lumps
> are huge and not shredded.
>
> Jack
>

On Jan 24, 9:17*am, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:

> Wayne speaketh: *A note here.... put the crabs to cook live, otherwise the
> half hour cooking will kill that wonderful fresh crabe taste and texture.
> That's how you kill them. You boil them alive just like you would a lobster.
>
> Perejil... I'm not sure, but isn't that Parsley and not Cilantro
> (coreander)?

Yes, the recipe did say "perejil" instead of "cilantro" but cilantro is
a spicy Chinese parsley, as I recall.

Various substitutions could be made to the ingredients of that recipe
to make the crab cakes more Mexican. I also specified white corn meal
instead of yellow corn meal which was what the original cook probably
used.

If you substituted pork lard for the olive oil, the crab cakes would
wind up with
the toasted corn flavor so popular among the antojito fans.

And, various hotter chiles could be substituted for the red pepper.
Then the mustard and the worcestershire sauce wouldn't be needed.

On Jan 24, 12:11*pm, "Jack Tyler" > wrote:

> I grew up two blocks from Galveston Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico. *My
> sister and I spent our Summers (as 8-12 year olds) crabbing every day
> and bringing home wash tubs full of crabs. *We had them boiled, fried,
> in gumbo, etc. *

When I lived in an apartment, my downstairs neighbors used to smoke
crabs on their barbecue. It smelled like they were cooking old mother
boards, there was an odor just like burning selenium...

But, I have better memories of eating crab from when I was in the Air
Force in Florida. A local hamburger stand mixed something like Thousand
Island dressing with crab meat and served it on hamburger buns.

On Jan 24, 2:35 pm, "Carolyn LeCrone" > wrote:
> In Maryland, blue crabs are served with Old Bay seasoning and some people
> like vinegar with them. The truly decadent use melted butter."Jack Tyler"

Old Bay is used, pretty much, everywhere as a crab boil. There are a
couple of other ones, also, and they're all good. I didn't mention
using something like Old Bay when cooking them, but I should have... as
I always use something like that to steam or boil them. I sometimes
use melted butter and lemon with crabs, but if I dipped every bite in
butter, the abdominal pain would be unbearable after the first dozen.
Crabs are so plentiful here that there are a lot of "all you can eat"
specials on crabs... at my age, I can handle far more crabs than
butter. I've also eaten a lot of crabs in the Baltimore and Annapolis
areas.

Jack

On Jan 24, 10:30*am, "Jack Tyler" > wrote:

> There isn't much yield from cooking whole crabs... which is the way I
> read this. *5 1/2 pounds of crab meat would be overkill... but 5 1/2
> pounds of whole (blue) crabs is very little.

I don't want to sound like a heretic, but how does imitation crab
taste, compared to the real thing? I know that it's fish, but does it
taste "right"?

I can buy imitation crab very cheaply, and I wouldn't have lock up my
cats while shelling real crabs. They go wild for crab meat...

On Jan 24, 2:35 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand" >
wrote:
> > Perejil... I'm not sure, but isn't that Parsley and not Cilantro
> > (coreander)?Yes, the recipe did say "perejil" instead of "cilantro" but cilantro is
> a spicy Chinese parsley, as I recall.

It means parsley. I would still use cilantro, though.

Jack

On Jan 24, 2:49 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand" >
wrote:
I don't want to sound like a heretic, but how does imitation crab
> taste, compared to the real thing? I know that it's fish, but does it
> taste "right"?
>
> I can buy imitation crab very cheaply, and I wouldn't have lock up my
> cats while shelling real crabs. They go wild for crab meat...

Imitation crab meat is thinly-sliced fish rolled up and painted red.
It's terrible. I sent back a bowl of seafood gumbo that had it in it
and the owner of the restaurant came out and apologized for it. He
said that it was a decision made by the chef and it would never happen
again.

Jack

Crabs are food for the Gods!

See end of post.

"The Galloping Gourmand" > wrote in message
ups.com...
5-1/2 pounds of crab sounds like an awful lot to feed four people, but
that's the weight before cooking...

Tortas de Cangrejo (Crab Cakes)
(Receta para 4 personas) (Serves 4 people)

Ingredientes: (Ingredients)

2 1/2 kg. de cangrejo (5-1/2 pounds of crab)
1/2 cebolla (picadita) (1/2 of a shredded onion)
1/2 pimentón rojo (picadito) (1/2 of a red pepper, finely shredded)
2 ramitas de perejil (picadito) (2 sprigs of cilantro, finely shredded)
5 dientes de ajo (picaditos) (5 cloves of garlic, finely shredded)
salsa Inglesa (5 toques) (5 squirts of worcestershire sauce)
pan molido (3 cucharadas)(3 tablespoons of bread crumbs)
1/4 de taza de mayonesa (1/4 cup of mayonnaise)
vinagre de vino (wine vinegar)
harina de maíz y de trigo, cantidad suficiente para empanar (white
corn meal and wheat flour, quantity sufficient to bread the crab cakes)
hojas de laurel (bay leaves)
sal al gusto (salt to taste)

For the salsa de pimiento rojo (red pepper salsa):
1 limón (1 lemon)
2 anchoas (2 anchovies)
1/4 de taza de vino blanco (1/4 cup of white wine)
2 cucharadita de mostaza (2 teaspoon of mustard)
aceite de oliva (olive oil)
1 pimiento rojo (1 red pepper)
3 dientes de ajo (3 cloves of garlic)

Preparación de los cangrejos: (Preparation of the crabs

Los cangrejos se lavan bien y se ponen a cocción, que queden cubiertos
con el agua.

(Wash the crabs well and put them to cook, so they remain covered with
water.)

Se les agrega dos hojas de laurel y sal al gusto.

(Add the bay leaves and salt to taste.)

Se dejan cocinar 1/2 hora aproximadamente, mientras cocinan se va
preparando la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Let them cook for about half an hour, while the red pepper salsa is
being prepared.)

Se retiran del fuego y se dejan enfriar, luego se abren, incluyendo las
patas, y se les quita la carne.

(Remove the crabs from the fire and let them cool, then open them,
including the claws, and remove the crab meat.)

La misma se va desmoronando.

(The same are going to be torn apart.)

La carne se condimenta con la cebolla, el pimentón, el perejil y los
ajos previamente picaditos.

(Season the crab meat with the onion, the pepper, the parsley and the
garlic which was previously shredded.)

Se le agrega 5 toques de salsa inglesa, 3 cucharadas de pan molido o
rallado y un toquecito de vinagre, preferiblemente vinagre de vino.

(Add 5 squirts of worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of bread crumbs,
and a small squirt of vinegar, preferably wine vinegar.)

Se revuelve muy bien y se le agrega 1/4 de taza de mayonesa
mezclándolo con las manos hasta que esté suficientemente compacto y
se deja reposar
por 5 minutos.

(Mix very well and add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, mixing with the hands
until it is sufficiently compact and allow to rest for five minutes.)

A continuación en un plato sopero o en una bandeja se pone la harina
de maiz y la harina de trigo en porciones iguales, luego con la mezcla
anterior se hacen bolitas y se aplastan dejándole un grosor aproximado
de 1cm. y se empanizan en la harina.

(Continuing, put equal amounts of corn meal and the wheat flour in a
soup bowl or on a tray, then with the mixture of crab meat and spices
make balls and squash them until they are about 1/2 an inch thick, and
bread them en the flour and corn meal mixture.)

En una sartén se calienta suficiente aceite de oliva cuando esté bien
caliente se comienzan a freir las torticas con mucho cuidado de que no
se quemen, cuando estén doraditas se colocan en una bandeja para luego
añadirle la salsa de pimiento rojo.

(Heat sufficient olive oil in a frying pan and when it is well heated,
begin to fry the cakes carefully so they don't burn, when they are a
little golden put them on a tray for then adding the red pepper sauce.)

Preparación la salsa: (Preparation of the salsa

El pimentón rojo se pone en la plancha a asar luego que está listo se
pela y se corta en pedazos.

(Put the red pepper on the grill a roast, then when it is ready, peel
it and cut it into pieces.)

A continuación en la licuadora se vierte el jugo del limón las dos
anchoas, los 3 dientes de ajo, 2 cucharaditas de mostaza, 1/4 de taza
de vino blanco y el pimiento (ésto no queda totalmente triturado) se
le va agregando el aceite de oliva mientras se licúa y no debe pasar
de 1/2 taza.

(Continuing in the blender, add the juice of the lemon, the two
anchovies, the three cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of mustard,
1/4 cup of white wine and the pepper (do not allow this to be totally
liquefied) and one is going to be adding the olive oil while the salsa
is blending and shouldn't exceed 1/2 a cup.)

Cuando la salsa está lista se guarda en un envase hasta preparar las
torticas de los cangrejos.

(When the salsa is ready, reserve it in a container until the crab
cakes are prepared.)

Proceda a bañarlas con esta salsa.

(Proceed to bathe them with this salsa.)

Nice string so far on this wonderful food. In and around the port of
Veracruz there are hundreds of small family run mini-restaurants
specializing in Jaiba en Chilpachole. It is a very simple recipe consisting
mainly of boiled live crab in chicken broth or bullion enriched with ground
chile ancho and enough salt to just heighten taste buds. It's served in a
bowl with the crab having been hammered to soften the shell for the eater to
peel away the shell and suck the meat and sauce in the most slurpy of all
ways possible. It is known as "Para chuparse los dedos" type eating... food
to suck your fingers for. The Spanish say it is Piocho, para esprimirese la
barba.... piocho (delicious or piocha if femininine... and to squeeze the
beard of the last drop.

Wayne

"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> On Jan 24, 2:35 pm, "Carolyn LeCrone" > wrote:
>> In Maryland, blue crabs are served with Old Bay seasoning and some people
>> like vinegar with them. The truly decadent use melted butter."Jack
>> Tyler"
>
> Old Bay is used, pretty much, everywhere as a crab boil. There are a
> couple of other ones, also, and they're all good. I didn't mention
> using something like Old Bay when cooking them, but I should have... as
> I always use something like that to steam or boil them. I sometimes
> use melted butter and lemon with crabs, but if I dipped every bite in
> butter, the abdominal pain would be unbearable after the first dozen.
> Crabs are so plentiful here that there are a lot of "all you can eat"
> specials on crabs... at my age, I can handle far more crabs than
> butter. I've also eaten a lot of crabs in the Baltimore and Annapolis
> areas.
>
> Jack

Good ole Zatarain's shrimp and crab boil. Used that for a few mudbug
feasts as a kid.

I do like the Chesapeake seafood when I can find real local flavors.

"Jack Tyler" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> On Jan 24, 1:22 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
> wrote:
>> > JackI'm a crab lover! Experience is that a two pound crab will yield
>> > about a
>> quarter pound of meat when all is said and done. I like my crab
>> unfretted,
>> with just some mayo on the side... >>
>> Wayne
>
> I grew up two blocks from Galveston Bay, on the Gulf of Mexico. My
> sister and I spent our Summers (as 8-12 year olds) crabbing every day
> and bringing home wash tubs full of crabs. We had them boiled, fried,
> in gumbo, etc. However, the Mayo thing you mentioned doesn't really
> turn me on... we just picked out the meat and ate it cold turkey.
> Ummmm. I also have to say that the Riesling thing doesn't do it for
> me, either. I like really dry wines... even with seafood. But, now,
> as a codger, I like Bloody Mary's with my boiled or fried seafood...
> and maybe a little cocktall sauce every 5th or 6th lump of crab meat.
>
> As far as The crab meat can only be handled once and
> stirred very carefully when blending the ingredients, so that the lumps
> are huge and not shredded.
>
> Jack

Ahh shellfish. I'm in agreement Jack, I prefer the meat right out of the
shell, or perhaps with a small bit of chopped avocado, onion and tomato
rolled on a bibb lettuce leaf and a dab of picante sauce as a change up. We
have previously talked about the Asian Red Chili (chile) pepper crab, which
I have found many a variation around the various seaports in the world in
one form or
another from Italy to China. Less "filler and binder" and more meat is
always best for crab.

Also for me Riesling is too sweet for crab, at least the crab up here. a
more dry Chardonnay perhaps but I, as you, pretty much only drink Reds
nowadays.

Back to Crab. The shell to meat ratio is relative to the size and species.
Someone here recently said he was on the wrong coast to enjoy good crab. I
find the better shellfish come from colder waters of the Pacific so
apparently he lives too far down the Coast for fresh Dungeness Crab in CA
but the Dungeness does range to Santa Barbara. Dungeness is one of the best
crab there is, bar none and he should be able to at least get lump meat
from his fish monger, especially in CA and the SF Bay. There are other good
eating crabs in the left coast Pacific waters such as the Red, Rock,
Slender, and
Yellow with fairly good shell to meat ratios compared to Eastern and Gulf.
The King Crab is appropriately named and the Squat Lobster is also very good
( it is also a Crab and the star in that CA Taco lobster lawsuit).

Now I do like the Eastern and Gulf Stones and the Blues as you say in
gumbos, especially like em when molting to soft shell. A soft shell blue
crab sandwiches in a good bar in the Chesapeake with a frosted mug is to die
for.
Snows are pretty for presentation but not one of my favorite eating crabs.
It is usually a FL senior citizen/Tourist dinner special thing. Imitation
crab? that is a Pollack usually, a bland fish which as you say is made to
look like crab and I have never liked twice cooked fish, but American tastes
are getting more adapted to fake food all the time.

2 lbs whole = 1/4 lb shelled? ?? Maybe for small Eastern/Southern Blues a
pound may get you a 1/4 lb of meat, but 2 lbs of legal crab should get you
a half lb or very close to it, even being lazy? I made Crab Quesidillas
and Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas this last Sunday, (got a tip on a market
special for Dungeness this last weekend from the meat manager). 2.99 a lb.
I got 2 crabs weighing in @ 3.47 lbs for the pack, plucked out a bit over 1
1/4 lbs of meat but I do dig deep and also save the "butter". So like I
said it is all relative and I do not think much different from other meat on
the hoof although I think it was Mark Twain that said he wanted to be full
after eating, not tired when asked about eating crab. Most grocers have a
refrigerated Lump crab for sale @ about the same price as trying to get one
fresh and then shelling it yourself.

The canned is usually not a good option as it is mostly seconds or thirds
from a Cannery.

some recipe links that may or may not be helpful
http://www.mexgrocer.com/197-fiestacrabcrisps.html

http://cbs2.com/optwellrecipes/local...009230714.html

http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp...av=menu107_8_1

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1645...253192,00.html


http://food.sunset.com/sunset/recipe...pe_id=52 3601


This is a "twist" on a Swedish/Mexican Crab link;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhKSKJQvgYs