Steamed Crab
Ingredients
Raw Crabs – as many as you need to feed you family
(We used 2kg – 8 crabs for 3 of us)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic or Chilli if you like these flavours
Olive oil
Water
Bread
Method
The best recipe for cooking crabs as it keeps flavour and real juices in-tact not diluted.
1. Clean them raw & break in half – see how to clean crabs, under how to boil crabs
2. Add half a cup of tap water into pot.
3. Add approx 2 layers of crabs to pot
4. Add in a good splash of olive oil
5. Add ground salt and pepper and garlic or chilli (or a spice you prefer). Approx 1/2tsp each.
6. Add another few layers of the crabs on top
7. Repeat the oil & salt, pepper steps in 3 & 4
8. Place lid on the pot
9. Steam crabs on high heat for 8-10 mins
10. Pull a crab out of the middle of the pot when you think you have reached your finished cooking time to check it is cooked (if crab is still translucent then cook for further 2 mins). Repeat if necessary until crabs are cooked
11. Serve crabs straight from the pot
12. Don’t forget fresh bread & butter!
Crayfish Thermidor
Prep & cook time 35 mins – Serves 4
This sauce also goes really well with bugs
Ingredients:
2 Crayfish, cooked
300mL milk
1 small onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup white wine
300mL cream
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon mustard
125g swiss cheese, grated
Method:
1: Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
2: Cut crayfish in half: remove meat, roughly chop lobster meat, reserve shells.
3: Combine milk with sliced onion and bay leaf. Bring to boil; strain, reserve liquid.
4: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in pan, stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes, without browning. Gradually stir in hot milk mixture. Cook, stirring until mixture boils and thickens; set aside.
5: Melt remaining butter in pan, add shallots and cook for 3 minutes.
6: Add wine, reduce over high heat to half quantity; add the white sauce and cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper and mustard. Cook gently, stirring for about 5 to 8 minutes.
7: Stir in 80g of the swiss cheese, stir until melted, add lobster meat.
8: Fill mixture into crayfish shells, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and brown in oven for approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
9: Divide crays among 4. Serve.
Chilli Crab
Prep & cook time 30 mins – Serves 4
This dish goes well with jasmine rice. If more heat is required more chilli can be added
To prepare green (uncooked) crab – Segment the crab – lift the flap under the crab’s body with your thumb. While holding the body firmly with 1 hand, pull off the top part of the shell with the other. Discard the top shell. Remove and discard the spongy, finger-like white gills on either side of the crab’s body. Cut the body into quarters. Use a nutcracker to crack the large claws to enable easy removal of crabmeat when serving
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons peanut oil
4 uncooked blue swimmer crabs OR 1kg uncooked mud crab
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 red chillies, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander
Method:
1: Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan over high heat until just smoking. Add the crab and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until just cooked (the crabmeat will turn white when cooked).
2: Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant; add the tomato and sweet chilli sauces, sherry and sugar, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
3: Add the green shallot and stir until just wilted. Add the coriander and toss until just combined.
4: Spoon steamed rice among serving bowls. Top with chilli crab and serve.
Bug Salad
Prep & cook time 30 mins – Serves 4
We used bugs, you can substitute prawns, lobster or scampi
Ingredients:
150g thick rice noodles
1kg uncooked bug tails, shelled
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander
2/3 cup coriander leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 medium green papaya, grated coarsely
2 red chillis, chopped finely
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
Method:
1: Place noodles in medium heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water; stand 20 minutes. Drain.
2: Meanwhile; combine bug tails, garlic, chopped coriander and half the oil in a large bowl; cook in a large heated frying pan until tails change colour to bright orange/pink.
3: Combine remaining ingredients with noodles in large bowl; add warm bug tails, mix gently.
4: Divide the salad serving bowls, serve.
Sparkling Tempura Soft Shell Crab
Prep & cook time 20 mins – Serves 4
This dish goes well with a light salad of summer greens and a sweet asian dipping sauce or BBQ sauce
Ingredients:
6-8 soft shell crabs cleaned & halved
1/4 cup cornflour (sifted)
1/2 cup plain flour (sifted)
1 egg white
1/2 cup chilled Sparkling Wine
Pinch of fine salt
2 tablespoons of poppy seeds
Vegetable oil to fry
Method:
1: Whisk the egg white till stiff peaks form, add the Sparkling Wine then fold in both of the sifted flours and poppy seeds, the batter mix should be wet, consistency of single cream.
2: Heat oil in deep fryer or a deep frypan to approx 180°C
3: Drag the soft shell crab through the batter and place gently in the oil, drop the soft shell crab away from yourself to avoid splashes.
4: Cook until golden brown.
5: Serve with salad and Asian dipping sauce.
