SC - Sugar burns

[david friedman]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> 
> Since I've seen lots of objections to salmon from a can, Spam and other
> modern conveniences I imagine folks are going to say the fresh crab
> cakes are better, but why are they better?

That depends largely on whether you're talking about homemade, or
good-quality restaurant-made, crabcakes that have been frozen, or ones
made by, say, Mrs. Paul's, Gortons, etc.

Here's what's involved. To make crabcakes, you generally use either the
meat you've cracked out of a bazillion real, actual steamed crabs,
preferably blueclaw crabs (apart from those awful pseudo-surimi
constructs, does anybody ever make crabcakes out of other kinds of
crabmeat?) , or canned crabmeat, either Just Plain Canned or the kind
that's pasteurized, canned and refrigerated, usually lump or backfin
crab meat, which is a far better product. It is sweeter and more moist
than ordinary canned crabmeat, which is often dry and flavored of the
packing briny-stuff.

So, the question is whether we're talking about some huge factory using
heavy machinery to turn out crabcakes which are then frozen, and which
may partially thaw and be refrozen during shipping, storage, shipping,
storage, purchase, storage, etc., or just a batch of crabcakes lightly
assembled by hand (the big flaw of commercial crabcakes is a frequent,
extreme density: they should be firm but fluffy, not mushy and heavy, in
the middle), which are then frozen, once, thawed and reheated. Another
consideration is that some frozen crabcakes are lightly fried before
freezing, I think, and have   therefore had an extra opportunity to
release their flavor and aroma into empty space... when you make
crabcakes at home and freeze them, you generally make them, coat them,
and freeze them, frying them only when you want to eat them.   
 
> I have half a dozen cans of crabmeat. Some are earmarked for period
> dishes. Any suggestions on good dishes to use the rest in?

You might make a basic Chinese Corn Chowder, a fairly good dish that can
be easily assembled from stuff in cans. You can use one 12-ounce can of
cream-style corn (don't be too shocked; restaurants use this too), one
12-ounce can, or equivalent in fresh, of chicken stock, approximately 1
1/2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cool water, salt and white
pepper to taste, an egg or two, beaten, maybe a scallion, and a few
drops of toasted sesame oil. Plus one of those cans of crabmeat. Combine
the stock and the corn with the cornstarch slurry and heat in a
saucepan, stirring occasionally, until it partially clarifies and
thickens. With the soup on a low simmer, slowly drizzle the beaten egg
into the soup, stirring _very_ slowly, to form egg flowers or egg drops.
Stir in the crabmeat, drained and picked over for bits of shell, tendon,
etc. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, garnish with chopped
scallion or perhaps some plucked cilantro leaves, and add a drop or two
of toasted sesame oil to each bowl.

If you are a Native of Vienna you can serve those silly fried noodles,
too... ;  ) 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com