[Sca-cooks] period crab recipes
Elaine Koogler
ekoogler1 at comcast.net
Sun Jun 18 06:45:03 PDT 2006
Craig Jones wrote:
> Alright... Here you are petals...
>
>
>
> Honeyed Stuffed Crabs (Ni Tsan’s Cloud Forest Hall Collection of Rules for
> Drinking and Eating (Yun Lintang Yinshi Zhidu Ji).)
>
> Original:
> Cook in salted water. When the colour begins to change (to red), take out.
> Break up the crab and extract the meat from claws and legs. Cut this into
> small pieces and stuff into shell. Combine egg with a small amount of honey
> and mix with meat in shell. Spread some fat on the egg. Steam until the egg
> has just solidified. Do not overcook. For eating, it can be dipped into
> ground orange peel and vinegar.
>
> Drake’s Redaction:
>
> Ingredients (Shells):
> • 5 Blue Swimmer Crabs (1/2 crab shell per person)
> • 1 Tbsp Salt (For Pot)
> • 5 Eggs, Beaten
> • 1 Tbsp Honey
> • 1 pinch Salt
> • Lard (this can be omitted)
>
> Ingredients (Dressing):
> • 5g Finely Minced Mandarin Peel
> • 20g Rice Wine Vinegar
>
>
> Method:
> • Heat water in large stock to boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt, and Crabs. Boil
> (with lid on) until they turn red. Take out crabs and allow to cool.
> • Very finely mince some fresh mandarin orange peel and add to the
> Rice
> Wine Vinegar. Shake vigorously and chill.
> • Crack crabs (Retaining the top carapace) and extract all the meat
> and
> place in the bowl (watch for adulterants such as the nasty clear sinew
> bits, gills, guts, roe and bits of shell).
> • Trim and clean carapaces (this will take a few volunteers). Have
> some
> pre-prepared if you can.
> • Shred crab meat and mix with beaten egg, honey, and a tiny pinch of
> salt. Mould into each crab shell and lightly brush with heated, liquid
> lard.
> • Steam in Bamboo Baskets for 5-8 minutes, until the mixture has set.
> • Take dipping sauce and shake vigorously again and pour into small
> dipping bowls.
>
>
> Assumptions:
> • A small amount of salt was added to the steamed mix as I'm a salt
> fiend...
> • Blue Swimmer Crabs were used as the closest substitute to Charibdys
> japonica available.
>
> What was ironic was it wasn't until after I traveled to the Barony of
> Ildhafn (Auckland, New Zealand - go visit - play SCA where the geographic
> backdrops are straight out of LOTR) did I discover that Charibdys japonica,
> although impossible to find in Australia, is a serious pest in Auckland
> Harbour... Doh!
>
>
>
Thanks for sending this. Out of curiousity...how well would the
Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab fit into this category. I have no idea what
the scientific name is, but it's primo for making things like crab
cakes, crab soup and she-crab soup, all very famous in this area.
Kiri
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