Dungeness Crab With Basil San Francisco Style Recipes

OVEN-ROASTED DUNGENESS CRAB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, shallot, and dried crushed red pepper. Add crabs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley over crabs. Stir to combine. Place skillet in oven and roast crabs until heated through, stirring once, about 12 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer crabs to platter. Add orange juice and peel to same skillet; boil until sauce is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over crabs. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.

DUNGENESS CRAB BOIL

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine first four ingredients with enough water to submerge crabs. Do not submerge crabs at this point. Bring liquid to a simmer and add crabs headfirst to water. Cook the 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-pound crabs about 15 minutes, and the 3-pound crabs about 20 minutes. Strain cooked crabs into a colander and rinse briefly under cool water. Serve with Drawn Butter, Tarragon Aioli and Aioli with Piment d'Espelette.
• In a small pan over low heat, melt butter and skim any solids that rise to the top. Pour butter into ramekins for use tableside, leaving behind any milk solids that have settled to the bottom of the pan.
• In the base of a blender or food processor, whirl garlic cloves, tarragon leaves and egg yolk to create a creamy blend. Add lemon zest and juice and blend again. With machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil to create an emulsified, creamy consistency. Avoid adding oil too quickly or vinaigrette will separate. Add a teaspoon of water when emulsion becomes tight and then continue to add oil. Season to taste with salt and fresh pepper.
• Place garlic, lemon juice, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; process to combine. Add egg and, with the motor running, slowly add oils until mixture is thickened and emulsified. Stir in piment d'Espelette and refrigerate.

KILLER CRAB WHOLE DUNGENESS CRAB ROASTED IN GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Crabs: Depending on where you get the crabs they could be alive or preboiled.
• If they're alive, place the crabs in boiling water for 5 minutes (until red in color). Remove from pot and cool them in iced water (quick cool). With your thumb and index finger pry open the head, remove innards and save. Under running water wipe clean the head area.
• Crab innards: In a blender add the innards with 1/4 cup of white wine, blend on pulse, strain, and save.
• In a pot on medium heat add olive oil, shallots, rosemary, thyme, and peppercorns. Cook until light brown, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of wine. Add the blended crab innards, the canola oil, and the garlic salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the top, remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth. Whisk in the garlic puree and let rest.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the 2 crabs in a large oven-proof skillet, ladle the crab butter over them, (be generous) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Set the crabs on your serving dish, sprinkle with garlic salt, put the empty head shells back on (you can brush the shell with olive oil to shine) sprinkle. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

OLD-STYLE SAN FRANCISCO CRAB CIOPPINO

Steps:

• Using a TALL 8-10 quart pot, cover the bottom of the pot with a good virgin olive oil, about ¼ cup. Add the chopped onion, sage, garlic, parsley and celery and sauté slow and stirring often until tender, approximately 20 minutes. If it gets too dry, add a little more olive oil. Add tomato sauce and cayenne pepper. Reduce to lowest simmer and cook for approximately 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it gets too dry, add a little water.
• Add 10-12 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Begin adding the seafood. Raw crab first (if not raw, then cooked is an ok substitute.) If you get raw crab, cleaned and chopped, it will be much better). Return to a low boil, then lower to low-medium heat for 15 minutes.
• Then add clams and mussels. Continue to simmer 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops, simmer for 10 minutes, along with a cheese glass of white wine (6 oz.) before serving. Ok if this sits on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add the fish 5-7 minutes before you are ready to serve. Any longer than that, take it off the heat and reheat gently before serving. Ladle into large bowls and have a few extra bowls on the table for shells.
• Have plenty of garlic and olive oil basted sourdough bread, finished with shredded parmesan cheese and your favorite California Chardonay. Offer the usual complement of crab tools, crackers, pickers, etc.
• Left-overs should be refrigerated and eaten next day or two. After eating, offer your guests a warm hand towel with fresh lemon squirted on it, with a little water, microwave on high for 30 seconds.

GARLIC ROASTED DUNGENESS CRAB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°F.
• Heat butter, oil, and garlic is a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add crabs, 2 at a time, toss well, season with salt & pepper.
• Transfer to a large baking pan. Roast about 12 minutes, tossing well halfway through. Warm butter mixture, add lemon juice and parsley.
• Arrange crabs in a large shallow bowl & drizzle butter mixture over. Serve immediately with chunks of hot bread and a nice white wine.

DUNGENESS CRAB WITH BASIL SAN FRANCISCO-STYLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Stir the garlic, garlic-herb seasoning, garlic salt, pepper and sugar together in a small bowl until blended. For the Dish: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slip the crab(s) into the water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the crab(s), rinse under cold water, and drain again. If you like, pull off the top shell from the crab(s) in one piece and reserve for a garnish. (Invert top shell to remove organs and extra water.) Remove and discard the lungs attached to the shell above the legs and the spongy parts under the shell. Twist off the claws and legs; crack them with a cleaver or mallet. Cut the body into 4 pieces (or in half, if using blue crabs) with a heavy chef's knife. Place the crab pieces into a colander and allow them to drain excess liquid. Dust the crab pieces with cornstarch to coat them lightly. Pour enough oil into a wok to fill 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 365 degrees. Deep-fry the crab, in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pieces, until the shells change color, 2 to 3 minutes. Lift out the crab with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Spoon the oil from the wok into a heatproof container and return the wok to high heat. Add the butter and olive oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the seasonings and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the fried crab and stir to coat. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the sauce is simmering, cover the wok and simmer until the crab is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the basil and transfer the crab onto a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the crab and serve hot. This recipe yields 4 servings.