[Sca-cooks] period crab recipes

[Elaine Koogler]

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