Crab Corn Potatoes Carbonara Souffle Food

SPICED CRABS AND SHRIMP WITH POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine the dill seeds, dried dill, mustard seeds, chili powder, paprika, coriander seeds, peppercorns, celery seeds, red pepper flakes and bay leaves in a small bowl. Transfer to a blender or spice grinder in batches and pulse until coarsely ground.
• Fill a large deep pot with 8 quarts water. Add the spice mixture, thyme, parsley, garlic, celery and 1/4 cup salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, reduce the heat and simmer, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the crabs in a large colander in the sink. Holding each crab with tongs, run under cold water to wash away sand. Transfer to a large container of ice water and soak 15 minutes. (This relaxes the crabs and helps remove the grit.) Remove the crabs and discard the water. If the crabs are still sandy, repeat.
• Bring the spiced broth to a boil over high heat. Wrap the potatoes in cheesecloth and tie closed. Add the crabs to the broth, then the potatoes; cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the crab shells are bright red, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes after 15 minutes.
• Transfer the crabs to a platter or newspaper with tongs, letting the excess liquid drain into the pot. Let sit at least 5 minutes before eating.
• Meanwhile, add the shrimp to the pot, stir once and cook until the shells are pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Season the crabs, shrimp and potatoes with salt. Serve with melted butter and the broth, for dipping.

CARBONARA WITH CRAB

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients.
• Bring a pot of water to boil for pasta, 4 to 6 quarts.
• Place crab meat in bowl and run your fingers through it to check for connective tissue, sharp pieces and shell. Pull into long thin strands and small bite-size pieces.
• Chop the pancetta or guanciale into 1/8 to 1/4-inch dice.
• Peel and chop the shallot, finely chop the celery and pile with it. Peel the garlic cloves and chop or have a grater at hand. Stem the thyme and chop.
• Line a small bowl with a baggie if you wish to save the egg whites. Crack and separate the eggs, with yolks in medium glass mixing bowl. Whisk up eggs and whisk in cheeses, salt and pepper.
• Salt water for pasta and drop the pasta.
• Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat with EVOO, 3 turns of the pan. Add pancetta or guanciale and render 2 to 3 minutes. Add shallots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir a minute or 2, then add sherry or white wine and crab. Toss to warm through and let sherry or wine absorb. Add juice of 1 lemon.
• Add 1 cup starchy boiling water to eggs to temper them. Drain pasta and add to crab. Toss with eggs and cheeses off heat for 1 full minute. Adjust salt and pepper, serve.
• Muddle orange at bottom of a rocks glass. Add remaining ingredients. Fill glass with ice and stir gently. Top with club soda if desired. Garnish with lemon twist.

SPICY CRAB AND CORN PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, tossing occasionally, until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Zest, then juice the lemon, and set aside to use later.
• Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the panko and cook, stirring occasionally, until the panko begins to brown. At that point, begin stirring almost constantly and cook until the crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside, reserving the skillet.
• Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, along with the wine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to melt the butter, and add the corn kernels. Cook until the corn is tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until the pasta is ready.
• Add the reserved pasta water to the skillet, along with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add the cooked pasta and cook, tossing often, until about half the liquid has been absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the crab and parsley, toss, and cook for 1 more minute, until the crab is heated through. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the Parmesan, and toss until the cheese is melted. Taste for seasonings and add salt to taste.
• Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topped with a generous sprinkle of bread crumbs, lemon zest, basil and more red-pepper flakes if desired.

CARIBBEAN CRAB SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 8 cup souffle dish.
• Toast coconut in a non-stick skillet over low heat.
• In a medium skillet, melt butter over low heat and add the celery, garlic, curry powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper - cook for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth for about 1 minute. Pour in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Set aside and cool slightly. Whisk the egg yolks one at a time into the sauce. Stir in coconut and crab meat.
• In medium bowl, beat egg whites and lemon juice with a mixer until stiff, but not dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into crab mixture. Quickly and gently fold in the remaining whites. Do not deflate the volume. Transfer mixture to the souffle dish and place it on a rack at the bottom of the oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden, puffed and still moist inside.

POTATO-CRAB CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute onion& garlic in melted butter in large sauce pan for 4 minutes.
• Add potato and saute 1 minute.
• Sprinkle in flour, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
• Add milk, pepper, nutmeg, corn and broth.
• Bring to a simmer over med heat stirring frequently.
• Cover and reduce heat to low for a 20 minute simmer.
• Stir in crab meat and parsley, cook 5 minutes.
• Serve or pour into crock pot on low or warm.