Dungeness Crab Pasta And Chili Recipes

GARLIC AND CHILE ROASTED DUNGENESS CRABS

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full of water. Add enough salt so that the water tastes like seawater. Add half of the sliced lemon and the reserved peels from the garlic and onion, and bring to a boil. Plunge the crabs in the water, in batches if necessary, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the crabs from the stockpot and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• When the crabs are cool enough to handle, remove the top shell and apron and discard. Remove the gills and any transparent cartilage and scrape out any crab fat and rinse crabs under cool running water. Place crabs, bottom side down, on a cutting board and halve lengthwise with a heavy knife.
• Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, the minced garlic, onions, butter, olive oil, crushed red pepper, and black pepper in a large roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven on the lowest rack, and bake, stirring occasionally, until onions and garlic are golden, about 8 minutes. (Do not allow the garlic to burn.) Remove the pan from the oven and add the crab pieces and mix thoroughly so that the crabs are well coated with the garlic and butter mixture. Return the pan to the oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until the crabs are heated through and the garlic mixture is braised onto the shells, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the chopped parsley or cilantro, and serve hot.

STIR-FRIED DUNGENESS CRAB WITH SWEET CHILI SAUCE AND BOK CHOY

Steps:

• First thing to do is "dismantle" the crabs before you wok-fry them. Toss the live crabs into salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Next, place the crabs top-side up, and stick your thumb under the edge of the top shell, pull forward and lift the shell up and off, and reserve. Scrape out the gills that are found on top of the body. Now, turn the crabs over and on the underbelly you will find the "apron," a slightly-lifted triangular flap, pull this off too. Finally, rinse the crabs of all the grey or green spongy stuff (the soft yellow matter is fat or crab butter and considered desirable by many, keep it if you wish.) Divide the crabs into quarters with a big knife, leaving the legs attached to the 4 sections.
• Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat until almost smoking. Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, and bok choy. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then remove to a side platter. Toss in the crab pieces, including the top shells. Take the top shells out after 1 minute, continue to stir-fry the crab for 3 minutes. With a big spoon or spatula, remove the crab pieces to the side platter. Now on to the sauce, pour 1 cup of water into the wok, along with the brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and sake. Stir for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook another minute until the sauce thickens. Return the crabs and bok choy to the pan, toss everything together to coat. Cover, and cook for 3 minutes.
• To serve, line a large platter with butter lettuce leaves, and arrange the crabs with the top shell back on top so it looks roughly like a whole crab again - cool right?! Put the bok choy around the crab and pour the sauce all over the top. Garnish with the green onions and peanuts. You'll need crab crackers, mini forks, a side bowl for the shells, a stack of napkins, and bowls of warm lemon water to clean your hands. Serve with steamed white rice.

CREAMY DUNGENESS CRAB WITH PENNE PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the penne according to directions in salted water then drain and lightly oil and set aside.
• Saute the shallots and garlic in the butter over med-low heat until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and add the heavy cream and reduce the cream over the heat for 1 minute.
• Add the white wine, sugar, salt and pepper, and pinch of cayenne and reduce heat to low heat and continue to simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add 3/4 of the crabmeat and all of the penne, and the parmessan cheese and gently toss together.
• Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with dill, extra parmessan and remaining dungeness crab.
• Enjoy!

LINGUINE WITH CRAB, LEMON, CHILE, AND MINT

Steps:

• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and stir until just soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and 1 chile and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and 3 tablespoons pasta cooking liquid to shallot mixture; add a pinch of pepper. Stir until liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Transfer pasta to skillet and add 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing pasta or stirring with tongs, until liquid is almost evaporated and pasta becomes glossy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, crab, half of mint, and more chile rounds, if desired.
• Stir pasta until butter melts and pasta is well coated, adding more pasta cooking liquid if dry. Divide between bowls; top with remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest and mint. Sprinkle with more lemon juice if desired.

DUNGENESS CRAB MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch baking dish.
• Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse the pasta in cold water and set aside.
• Put the crabmeat in a large bowl and pick through it with your hands, removing any pieces of shell.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the cauliflower and cook for 1 minute without stirring. The cauliflower will just begin to brown on the bottom. Flip the cauliflower, add the corn, celery, and salt, and sauté for another minute. Transfer the vegetables to a small bowl.
• In the same pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the capers and sauté until they are brown, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cayenne, chili powder, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Gently fold in the crabmeat until it is fully coated. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and then slowly whisk in the stock. Continue whisking until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Add the sherry, tarragon, and pepper and stir. Remove from the heat and stir in the semihard cheese until it is completely melted, about 30 seconds. Mix in the pasta, vegetables, and the hard cheese.
• Very gently fold in all but 1/3 cup of the crabmeat. Pour the pasta into the baking dish and spread the reserved crabmeat over the top, pressing it slightly down into the mac and cheese. (If the crabmeat is left on top, it will dry out while it cooks.) Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the dish.
• Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling around the edges and the internal temperature of the dish is 160°F. Let the mac and cheese sit for 15 minutes before serving.