It's crab season again in the Bay Area and with the news that crabs were in abundance this year, we headed off again to Half Moon Bay to get our crabs. The local Asian markets were selling crab for $4.99 a pound, so we figured, the crab men were selling them at cheaper. We were excited.
Drew got a wonderful deal from one of the boats--6 good-sized crabs for only $50! Each crab weighed approximately 2.5 - 3 lbs, so we got a steal!
We love the An Family's Secret Recipe for roasted crab so much that through the years, I've tried to make my own spin. It's basically roasted with lots, and lots, and lots, of garlic and butter. What's not to love?? For those who have gone to San Francisco's Tanh Long in the Sunset District and its sister restaurant, Crustacean's on Polk Street, which can also be found in Southern California, you know what I mean when I say that their crabs are de-lish!
So, here's how I made "their" Roasted Crabs:
Ingredients:
3 (almost large sized) 2.5 - 3 lb crabs, boiled in hot salt water for approximately 30 minutes, drained, then chopped.
1 whole garlic, cloves peeled and chopped finely
1 stick butter, melted in a small pot on the stove
1 cube chicken bouillon
1/2 T freshly ground pepper
1/4 t white sugar
1. Set aside the boiled crab and let cool. Then, clean (remove the fins and sharp body parts) and crack into serving size pieces. After lifting the shell, I usually crack the body into 4 sections. I also pound on the leg shells to allow the butter sauce to penetrate the crab meat. Arrange in an oven-proof dish.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
3. With the melted butter still in the pot, add the garlic and over low heat, let infuse. Do not use high or medium heat as you will end up reducing the butter's volume. Let infuse for about 5-7 minutes to allow the butter to have a distinct garlic taste. Add the bouillon cube and crush well, mixing thoroughly. Add pepper (more for a more pepper-y taste) and the sugar. Dissolve completely.
4. Pour butter mixture liberally over the crabs. Add dash pepper and garlic salt, if desired. Be cautious to use sparingly. Put in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes. Do not leave longer than 30 minutes or the crabs will dry up.
5. Serve hot with garlic noodles or warm rice.
6. Be prepared to eat using your fingers and have lots of napkins handy.
And now, for the Garlic Noodles:
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked noodles (preferred, Asian Egg Noodles, blanched with hot water)
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped.
1 T oyster sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T white sugar
Parmesan cheese
1. I did not have Asian Egg Noodles on hand, so I improvised with Angel Hair Pasta and it was okay. Not quite the Asian flair, but it was still good and served as a good side dish to the crabs. If you are using the cooked, pre-packaged Asian noodles from your favorite Asian market, do blanch it quickly with very hot water to remove excess oil and saltiness from the noodles. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Infuse with the garlic for about 5 minutes. Lower to low heat and add the oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Mix well.
3. Take the Egg Noodles and add the garlic sauce sparingly, careful not to over-sauce the noodles. The noodles should be very lightly coated with the sauce. Add Parmesan cheese sparingly.
4. Serve as a side dish to the roasted crabs.
Enjoy your homemade "Secret Recipes!"
