sizzle - Summer 2010

InGREDIEn TS
Large Dungeness crab
Seasonings of your choice,
such as wine, lemons, herbs,
peppercorn and crab boil
seasoning mix

IS IT SuSTaInablE? Large heavy cutting board Chef’s knife Food mallet (use if needed to break harder parts of shell) Large stockpot

1 heavy bowl to place crab meat in (glass or heavy metal bowl works best)

EQuIPMEnT

2 stainless steel mixing bowls,
one for ice bath, one to hold
shells and scraps
Lobster cracker
Crab fork

Yes, according to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s
Seafood Watch program, which helps
consumers and businesses make choices
for healthy oceans by recommending what
seafood items are designated “best choices,”
“good alternatives” and “avoid.” Dungeness
crab, caught in Canada and the U.S., is
listed as a “best choice.” It is caught using
the trapping method, which is considered
eco-friendly because fishermen can release
undersized crabs mostly unharmed. For a look at the ratings of
other types of crabs, visit www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/
SeafoodWatch/web/ sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid= 8.

Randy Torres, CEC, uses Dungeness crab in this Beef Oscar dish. Pictured from front of plate to back: roasted beef tenderloin topped with crab; crab topped with seared foie gras; asparagus with pearl onions; roasted Yukon gold potato with basil crumb on mushroom compote; and a truffle cauliflower purée with béarnaise sauce, top right, and basil oil and veal glace, bottom right.

hElPful hIn TS

Use a crab fork to remove meat from small appendages.

For added flavor, add seasonings to water.

Add crab to water if you choose to cook it whole. When water returns to a boil, cook for 9 minutes.

STEP 1

Expose crab belly. Lifting crab flap, insert chef’s knife; slice straight down toward head to kill crab. After crab has been killed, remove tail flap.