Crab Sauté


 
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Crab Sauté
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
28 mins
Total Time
53 mins
 
The crab season usually (but not always opens the first week of November in Santa Cruz/Monterey Counties. Dungeness crabs thrive in the cool ocean waters off the California central coast and typically prefer the sandy ocean bottom at a depth of 300 feet. The commercial crab fishers of this area range from Moss Landing to the Farallon Islands. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the local crab populations are doing well. The 2016/17 season’s commercial catch weighed in at over 1 million pounds; records have been kept since 1915. We bought our live crabs from Stagnero’s warehouse in Santa Cruz, taking our 20 quart pot (with the lid, of course) to put them in for the ride home. It’s a good idea to wear a pair of gloves when handling the crabs. It makes you feel much braver.
Servings: 6
Author: Jayne
Ingredients
  • To serve 6
  • 3 Dungeness crabs .
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 medium yellow onions sliced thin
  • 2 stalks of celery 2 carrots, and 1 onion chopped coarse.
  • thyme parsley, salt, and pepper.
  • 1 chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1 pound fettucini prepared al dente drizzled with butter and olive oil
  • 1 baguette
Instructions
  1. Plunge the live crabs into boiling water, head/claws first. Boil for 3 minutes and remove. Let cool. Twist the claws and legs to remove and set aside. Separate the tip shell from the body by placing one thumb on the front of the top shell and the other thumb on the top of the bottom shell. Pull apart. Remove the arrow head-shaped “plate” from the bottom of the shell. Break or cut the body of t into 6 sections. Separate the leg joints and crack with a nutcracker. Set aside with the legs.
  2. While your stock is reducing, in a large broiling pan gently sauté t he sliced onions in 2 tablespoons of butter until caramelized. Add the minced garlic, crab legs, and body parts. Sauté for 3 minutes. Pour the strained reduced wine stock over the crab. Remove to serving dish and serve immediately with plenty of napkins.
Recipe Notes

Serve with the fettuccini drizzled with melted butter and olive oil and a baguette.