Everglades City Stone Crab Recipes

B.B.Q. GARLIC CRAB

Steps:

• Lightly cook the garlic in the olive oil in a saute pan (about 2 to3 minutes on medium-low heat). Allow to cool.
• Add the crab and toss with the salt and pepper.
• Preheat the grill to high, carefully place all the marinated crab onto the grill, allowing the oil to drip off before putting onto the grill, and cover with lid. Allow to cook about 4 to 5 minutes then turn over and allow to cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from the grill, and place into a large metal bowl. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the crab and toss well.
• Serve on a large platter with fresh lemon wedges and chopped Italian parsley.

STONE CRAB SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, using just enough mayonnaise to hold everything together. Place in a serving bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite crackers as an appetizer.

SQUASH O'LANTERN WITH DUNGENESS CRAB

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat a pizza oven or regular oven to 350 degrees F.
• Carefully cut the acorn squash in half, not just by simply slicing through, but by cutting it into a flower shape--as if you were decorating for Halloween. In other words, create jagged edges by making 45 degree slices that connect all around the circumference of the acorn squash. Scoop out the seeds from both sides of the squash.
• Add the cleaned, "flower" acorn squash halves to the boiling water and blanch to slightly soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and let cool to the touch.
• Meanwhile, gently mix together the crab, mayonnaise, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, fish sauce and chives in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the crab mixture between the 2 halves of the squash and place in a 9-by-13-inch or oval baking dish. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through cooking, until everything is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh dill before serving.

WHOLE DUNGENESS WOK FRIED CRAB

Steps:

• To make the lemon grass sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Saute the green onions, lemon grass, red bell pepper, ginger, and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili garlic paste, and black beans. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add the dissolved cornstarch and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes glossy and thickens, about 2 more minutes. Set aside.
• To wok-fry the crab, heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok over high heat until almost smoking. Toss in the crab pieces (including the carapace or top shell), add the sake, and cover. Allow to steam 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon grass sauce and simmer until the crab is heated through and the sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• On a large plate or platter, arrange the crab with the carapace (top shell) back on top so it looks roughly like a whole crab again and pour all the sauce over and around it. You'll need crab-crackers, a side bowl for the shells, a stack of napkins, and bowls of warm lemon water to clean your hands. Serve this with steamed white rice.

HOT BUTTERED CRAB

Steps:

• Extract all the meat from the crabs. Wash and reserve the shells.
• Finely chop the garlic and anchovies, then fry them gently in a little of the butter for about 3 minutes. Add the vermouth, lemon juice and remainder of the butter, and season with the nutmeg and a good dash of hot pepper sauce to taste. Stir in half of the bread crumbs and the crabmeat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to blend and cook for about 5 minutes. Add most of the chopped parsley.
• Transfer the buttered crab mixture to the crab shells, and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and parsley. Cook under a preheated hot grill until bubbling and brown.

LINGUINE CRAB

Steps:

• Remove the tough, outer part and stalk of the fennel. Slice the bulb as finely as you can across the grain. Keep any of the green tops.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a thick-bottomed pan, add the garlic, fennel seeds, and chilis and cook to soften. Add the crab, zest and lemon juice, and season. Stir through, just to heat up the crab.
• Cook the linguine in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then add the fennel slices, and cook together until al dente. Drain the pasta, keeping a little of the water, and add to the crab mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine, adding a little of the reserved water to loosen the sauce, if necessary.
• Serve with olive oil.