Baked Spider Crab Recipes

CRAB ARANCINI

Steps:

• For the risotto: Heat a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and the rice; stir to coat with the flavors of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with the white wine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until the wine is almost fully absorbed. Add the broth and stir to combine; cook, stirring often, until the rice is tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, lemon zest, crab and chives. Spread the risotto out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold.
• For the arancini: Prepare a breading station using three shallow bowls: Place the flour and salt in one bowl, the eggs in another, and the panko in yet another. Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop a round of risotto into the palm of your hand and form it into a ball. Roll the ball in the flour, then the egg, and then the panko; make sure the entire ball is well coated. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining risotto.
• Add enough oil to a medium saucepan to come 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, lower 5 or 6 rice balls into the oil, or as many as the pan will allow without crowding. Fry until deep golden brown and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Continue with the rest of the rice balls. Serve warm, with marinara alongside for dipping, if desired.

BAKED SPIDER CRAB RECIPE

Steps:

• If you are cooking the crab yourself, place a large pan of water on to boil and add about five tablespoons of salt. Once the crab is submerged, wait until the water returns to the boil and only then start your timer. You'll need around 15 minutes for a large crab (2lb/1kg) and 10 minutes for smaller crabs. Drain in cold water and allow the crab to cool naturally.
• To prepare the crab, it's a good idea to have two bowls ready. Into one bowl, pull all the legs and claws off the crab and set aside. Then on a board, turn the crab on its back and 'pop' the shell off from the body, this is done by holding the crab upside down with its eyes facing away from you. Use your thumbs to push the shell off and the body will come away. Once the body and shell are separated, first clean the shell thoroughly and set aside for filling it with the sauce. Secondly you must remove the rich brown meat from inside the shell and pour it into the other bowl. Moving back on to the main body, you'll see two rows of feathery 'fingers' - these are called 'dead man's fingers and they are the crab's gills and MUST be removed. They act as the crab's main barrier to bacteria and can make you ill should you consume one - they simply just pull off. You'll notice the centre of the body also contains some more brown meat. Using the handle of a tea spoon or a crab picker, you can now work your way around the carcass, picking out all the white meat into the bowl. For the claws and legs, you will need to use a hammer and the crab picker to go one by one. Lightly crack the shells with the help of the hammer and open each part of the leg and claw and pick out the white meat. Be careful of the translucent cartilage parts in between the joints of the legs and claws as they need to be removed. Now you need to check all the white meat for any shell. Just . work through the bowl with your fingers, ensuring that there is nothing sharp or any hard bits in there.
• Warm the oil and butter in a medium sized pan, add the onions and leek and poach very slowly for 20 minutes, add the cognac and flambé. Add the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and cook slowly for a further 15 to 20 minutes, wet the sauce with the ladle of shellfish stock and add the crab meat, cook for a couple of minutes and stir well.
• Pour the filling into the crab shell, the sauce should not be too liquid or too dry, sprinkle the top of the shell with the breadcrumbs and place a couple of knobs of butter on top.
• Place the crab shell into a pre-heated oven at 200˚C/400˚F/Gas Mark 6 for 12 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

BAKED SPIDER CRAB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
• In a hot wok, cook the crab shell with a little olive oil for a few minutes. Remove the shell then add the garlic and shallot to the pan, with more oil if required. Cook until softened. Deglaze the pan with the wine and brandy. Tip the pan into the flame to flambé (CAUTION: Keep your face and hair away from the flames. Do not leave unattended.). Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they break down.
• Add the spider crab meat, breadcrumbs, hot sauce and season with salt. Heat until warm then add the butter and parsley.
• Place back into the shell and bake until golden-brown on top.
• In a frying pan cook the secreto Iberico in a drop of oil until golden-brown and medium rare.
• To serve place the crab shell on the plate and top with the egg. Cut the pork into strips and place alongside the crab with the beetroot leaves.

BAKED CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Shape into four patties; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. , Place crab cakes on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with tartar sauce if desired.

CRABS - GARLIC BUTTER BAKED CRAB LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, grab yourself a small saucepan. On med low heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic (I prefer a press) and LIGHTLY saute. Squeeze in the juice of the citrus of choice. If using a lemon, squeeze the juice into your hands so that you can remove the seeds with ease. Turn the heat to low and let those flavors mesh until the oven is nice and hot. Toss in as much salt (to taste) and a couple pinches of parsley. Then whisk in that olive oil with a fork. Turn off your burner.
• Arrange your tasty crustaceans in a 9x13 baking dish, brushing each leg with the sauce. ***TASTY TIP*** I use an injector to pop a *little* extra UMPH into my crabs. Pour any remaining sauce over those puppies. Now toss the pan into the oven on the center rack.
• Bake your crabs for about 25 minutes or so (depending on how thick the legs you have are), brushing the sauce from the bottom of the pan onto the legs every 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with a few pinches o' parsley for garnish.
• I am a lazy gal, detest doing more dishes than I have to, and am a firm believer in the "waste not, want not" phrase. With that said, I just serve the crab in the same dish I baked it in so I can dip the meat into the tasty sauce, savoring every last drop. If you are the opposite, use tongs and place them on a platter and pour the buttery-goodness into ramekins. VOILA! Crab House comparable delicacy! "Ohhhh my CRAAAABS!