Crab Recipes

Lay the soft-shelled crab on its back (belly up) and remove the apron. Turn the crab over, lift up the pointed ends (spikes) and remove the six gills on each side. Then replace each point to its original position. With scissors, cut off the mouth, eyes and feelers. Wash the crab thoroughly, even under the spikes.

Cooking:
Dip the crab in egg and cracker meal and fry, deep-fry or broil for ten minutes (five minutes on each side) and season to taste.

This recipe is from Noni Stokes from Mobile, Alabama (LA they call it - Lower Alabama) It's a type of pickled crab meat and very much a delicacy. Noni says it's very pricey in most establishments in Lower Alabama! Thanks for sharing it, Noni.

1 medium onion chopped fine
3 oz. cider vinegar
1 lb. lump crab meat
4 oz. ice water
4 oz. vegetable (Wesson) Oil
salt and pepper

Spread half of the onion over bottom of a large bowl. Cover with separated crab lumps and then remaining onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour oil, vinegar, ice water over everything. Cover and marinate for two to twelve hours. Toss lightly before serving.

Additional note: Aside from the original recipe above, Noni likes to add about a half of a bell pepper, finely minced, to the onion.

She says that most restaurants serve this cold, in very small portions rather than shrimp cocktail. She prefers it in large quantities and on a bed of lettuce. Bon appetite!!!

3 tablespoons butter	1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped	3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce	2 to 3 cups cooked crab meat
3 tablespoons flour	1 cup milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard	1/2 cup cream
Red or black pepper, a few grains	1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup buttered crumbs

Heat butter; add onion and cook over low heat until onion is soft but not browned. Blend in flour and seasoning. Slowly add mild and cook, stirring constantly over low heat until thickened. Add cream. Remove from heat.

Pick over crab meat to remove any cartilage membrane the may have been missed in cleaning. Add to hot sauce

Fill crab shell (washed and scrubbed) or cooking shells. Sprinkle with buttered crumbs, grated cheese and a dash of paprika.

Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for twenty to twenty-five minutes until brown. This makes six servings. Add five or six shakes of hot sauce to crab meat if you like your deviled crab hotter.

Pick over two cups of crab meat and remove cartilage. Combine with two cups of medium white sauce, one and one half tablespoons lemon juice, one and one-half teaspoons grated onion. Turn into greased casserole: top with buttered crumbs and paprika (add a little grated cheese if desired). Bake at 375 degrees for twenty-five minutes or until browned. This makes six to eight servings.

1 cup cream or evaporated milk	3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce	1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon (or more) sherry wine	1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter	2 egg yokes
6 slices buttered toast	2 cups cooked crab meat

Heat the cream with the butter in top part of a double boiler. Add crab, salt, paprika and nutmeg. Beat egg yolks; add Worcestershire sauce and sherry wine and mix a little hot liquid with the yolks. Pour the egg mixture into the sauce. Cook one or two minutes more over simmering water. Serve on toast. This makes four to six servings.

1 pound (2-3 cups) cooked crab meat	1 can celery, chicken or mushroom soup
1 small can mushrooms (don't drain)	1 small can pimentos (cut up)
1 can drained peas	1 can whole kernel corn
Pepper to taste

Use fresh vegetables if possible. Mix all ingredients, place in Pyrex dish and cover with bread crumbs that have been slightly buttered. Bake a 350 degrees for forty minutes. This will serve six people.

Hot Crab Dip
1 lb. crabmeat
1/2 pint sour cream
3 Tblsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated (use 1/4 in mix and 1/4 on top)
2 ( 8 0z. ) pkg. cream cheese (at room temp.)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. seafood seasoning
2 Tblsp. horseradish

Mix all ingredients together. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees until crusty and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

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