[Sca-cooks] period crab recipes

[Craig Jones]

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!


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