Published On:Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Tribune Features Writer

WHAT makes the crab of the sea a Bahamian delicacy? It’s flavorful, fat and sweet meat. Put it in a mixture with dough and vegetables and you get crab soup. Put it in a batter, bake it and you get crab cakes, put it in a mixture with grits and you get one of the tastiest combinations.

There are so many interesting things that can be done with crabs. Lady Ingrid Darling, author of Many Tastes of the Bahamas & Culinary Influences of the Caribbean told Tribune Taste that one of her favourite things to do with crab meat is swap it with conch.

"What I like to do with crab meat is change it with conch for fritters. It is very tasty because the meat is sweet and has a good flavour to it. However it is a lot of work because you have to have sufficient meat" she said.

For those who are looking for ways to utilise crab meat or want to try a new dish, Lady Darling provided a few recipes from her book that she said are delicious.

Heritage Crab & Dough

4 land crabs with biters

1tsp. salt

1tsp. whole allspice

1 bay leaf

hot peppers

3-1/2 cups of water

Dough

2 cups of all purpose flour

3tsp. baking powder

1tsp. salt

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup water

Remove the legs, and remove the biters. Wash and scrub the whole crabs and biters thoroughly and place all into a large stockpot. Add the water salt, allspice and bay leaf.

Dough

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening and stir in the water to form soft dough.

Turn the dough into the pot and spread evenly over the top. Cover bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20-25 mins. Serve immediately.

Andros Stuffed Baked Crabs

6 land crabs with biters

2oz. butter

1/2 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium sized green pepper finely chopped

1-1/2 cups crisp bread crumbs

3/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves

Salt

Black Pepper

Hot Peppers, optional

Bake 350 degrees

Scrub the crabs and biters, break open and clean preserving the fat (save the backs to be stuffed). Place the bodies and biters into a large stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil for about 5 mins.  Drain and allow to cool.

Break up the bodies and biters; pick out as much of the crab meat as possible and place into a medium-sized bowl.

Heat half the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onion and green pepper. Stir on the crab fat and sauté for several minutes. Turn into the bowl with the crab meat mixing in the bread crumbs, thyme salt and pepper to taste.

Fill the crab back with the mixture and place into a shallow baking dish, shell side down. Dot the tops of each with butter and bake until the stuffing is browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Crab Soufflé

2 land crabs with biter or 1-1/2 cups crab meat, flaked

2 tsp. all purpose flour

2 tbsp. butter

1-1/2 cups milk

4 egg yolks, beaten

Ground white pepper

Salt to Taste

1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan Cheese

4 eggs whites

Bake at 400 degrees F

Prepare the crab and biters and pick to produce 1-1/2 cups meat.

Make a sauce by melting the butter in a 2-quart sized saucepan, stirring in the flour and cooking slowly for a few minutes.

 Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return to medium heat and stir vigorously until the sauce thickens. Allow to cool slightly.

Stir in the beaten egg yolks, seasoning, and pepper. Add the crab meat and the finely grated cheese.

 Using a wire whisk  or electric mixer, whip the egg white until stiff. Carefully fold into the crab mixture.

Turn into a greased soufflé dish and bake for about 25- to 30 minutes or until risen and brown. Serve immediately.

Cat Island Corn Grits & Crab

2 Island crabs with biters

1 cup island corn grits

1 cup boiled pigeon peas, drained (reserve liquid) or canned pigeon peas

3-1/2 cups water (including stock from peas)

2 oz. vegetable oil and the crab fat from crabs

2 slices bacon, chopped

3 oz. Champion tomato paste

1.2tsp. dried thyme leaves

1tsp. Lady Darling’s Island seasoning

Salt to taste

Black pepper

Hot peppers to taste

Prepare crabs reserving the fat.

Heat the oil in a 2 quart sized saucepan and sauté the bacon for a few minutes. Add the onion thyme; continue to sauté adding crab fat. Simmer for about 5 minutes stirring in the tomato paste.

Add the water, grits Island seasoning, salt and black/hot peppers to taste. Add the crab bodies and claws.

Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring continually. Lower the heat,  taste test and adjust the seasonings  if necessary. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-35 minutes.

Place a heat diffuser under the pot for the last 10 minutes of cooking time to avoid grits sticking.