developed and submitted by Harvey Hacker
preparation time: 1 hour
serves 4
2 large live Dungeness crabs from Liang’s or other good Stockton St. market
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Lao Gan Ma black bean chili sauce
½ pound fresh fettuccine from Molinari Delicatessen
If you can, buy crabs late on day they are to be served, though they can survive for a while in half-filled bathtub if necessary.
Plunge crabs into large pot of boiling water. Return to boil and continue to cook until a lot of white scum rises to surface (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and immerse in several changes of cold water until cool enough to handle. Working over a large bowl, pry apart upper and lower shells, drain all liquid into bowl, then separate shells completely and scoop entire contents into bowl, picking out and discarding the feathery gills, the beak and the eyes, and stringy entrails. Everything else, including bits of membrane and yellow fat, remains. Chop solid components into pieces no larger than a dime, then mix in 1 teaspoon oil and chili sauce.
Rinse crab bodies and shells, break off claws and legs, and pre-crack with the blunt edge of large knife or cleaver. With same tool, cut each crab body into 6 pieces, first longitudinally, then into thirds, and pre-crack. Arrange all on large platter.
Over high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender but not brown, then add liquid mixture and reduce to a soupy pasta sauce texture (about 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, add 1 teaspoon oil to keep strands separate, add half the reduced liquid and mix thoroughly, then distribute to 4 warmed plates or bowls, top with remaining sauce, and serve as appetizer. Then serve crab platter, bowls for shells, and for each diner a cracking device and a small dish of sauce composed of ⅓ mayonnaise, ⅓ yogurt, and ⅓ lemon juice.
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