Steamed Blue Crabs

|
By
|
21 comments

In the summertime here on the Eastern Shore, it’s rare to go a week without enjoying blue crabs in some way, shape, or form. Crab cakes, crab soup, or crab dip are all shining examples. But, nothing beats a good old-fashioned crab feast in my book! A big tray of freshly steamed crabs, some corn-on-the-cob, and plenty of ice cold beer. It’s just not summer without it!

Now, I know that many of you folks don’t have access to live blue crabs. But, many folks who do buy them already steamed and seasoned. And, that’s just no good! You don’t know how long ago they were cooked, and you usually end up paying more money to have them do it for you.

The steaming instructions listed below apply to any amount of live crabs – whether it be 1 dozen, or one bushel. Quantity does not matter. Bear in mind if you are steaming a whole bushel, you’ll need a very large cooking device. We have an old keg that we’ve converted to a steam-pot, and it’s great! I also recommend cooking outside if possible. A turkey frying rig is wonderful for this purpose. A side burner on a grill can usually do the job as well. I find that when I do steam them inside, it creates a funk smell in the house that lingers for a day or so. Kind of like when you fry something!

Line a table with multiple layers of newspaper, and dump the crabs right into the center of the table. Have wooden mallets and picking knives at the ready. We like to serve melted butter, and cider vinegar that’s been seasoned with plenty of Old Bay.

Steamed Blue Crabs

1/2 bushel live blue crabs (4 dozen)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 beer (optional)
8 cups water
1/2 cup Old Bay (seafood seasoning)
1/4 cup kosher salt

Combine the Old Bay and kosher salt. Combine the water, vinegar and beer in the bottom of a large steamer pot .

Using tongs, add the crabs to the pot a few at a time, seasoning with a tablespoon of seasoning here and there as you go. Cover, and place over high heat.  Bring to a boil until you see steam escaping from the lid.  Reduce heat to medium-high and steam for 30 minutes. Remove lid, and continue to steam for an additional 5 minutes with the lid off before removing.

Serve on layers of newspaper, with vinegar and melted butter for dipping.

Homemade Pimento Cheese

|
By
|
12 comments

Have you ever had homemade pimento cheese? If not, you haven’t lived. It’s so delicious, but simple and easy. I always have the ingredients for this quick appetizer on hand – it’s a great recipe that can be thrown together quickly for unexpected guests. Which, when you have a kegerator full of homebrew and a pool, happens fairly often in the summertime.

It’s also great in grilled cheese sandwiches, baked as a hot dip, or stuffed inside of a burger before grilling. Be careful though, there is a condition that I’ve come to call “Pimento Cheese-itis” that comes from eating close to a whole batch by yourself. Check yourself before you wreck yourself, ya’ll – and don’t let it happen to you! Keeps in the fridge for a few days, if it makes it that long.

Pimento Cheese

8 oz. extra sharp cheddar, shredded
4 oz. diced pimientos
3 Tbsp Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and black pepper

Drain pimentos well.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

Before serving, refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from Pink Parsley

Creamy Crab Dip

|
By
|
12 comments

My all time favorite appetizer, hands down. When crab dip is good, it can be soooo good. But, when it’s bad …yowza. I’m fortunate enough to live in a place where a bushel of the bay’s best crabs are just a 30 minute drive on the backroads – to Crisfield, Maryland. You buy them directly off of the boat, for insanely cheap price (well, most of the year anyways. They mark them up Memorial Day and July 4th). Jon has converted a beer keg into a cooking vessel – so we can cook a whole bushel at a time. Combine that with a kegerator in the garage and it makes for one awesome crab feast!

If there are any leftover soldiers, I’ll usually pick them to make a batch of crab dip up the following night. It’s so rich and creamy, it really makes a meal. This recipe was given to me by a very dear friend of the family, who shall go unnamed to maintain her anonymity.  But, I love her forever for sharing it with me. It’s just the right balance of everything, really allowing the crab to shine.

One word of caution though, do not to skimp on crab meat. The plastic tubs are usually okay, but that canned stuff is just whack. No one wants crab meat all the way from Vietnam. Enjoy this one if you can, it’s definitely one of my favorites!

Creamy Crab Dip

1/2 pound fresh crab meat
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
pinch garlic salt
paprika, for garnish

Remove cartilage from crab meat. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, may, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and garlic salt until smooth. Add enough milk to make mixture creamy. Stir in half of grated cheese.  Gently fold crab meat into mixture.

Pour mixture into a 1 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350° until mixture is bubbly and browned on top, about 25 minutes. Serve with crackers and crusty French bread.

Source: originally from Maryland Department of Agriculture

“Animal” Double Doubles

|
By
|
14 comments

Have you ever had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful state of California? We went a couple years ago to see my mother-in-law in Ventura, and had the time of our lives! Everything that you’ve heard about it in books, movies, and television – is completely true. Gorgeous weather, sweeping vistas, sprouts galore, and rubbing elbows with movie stars…

Okay, maybe it was more like standing in line behind them at Magic Mountain, but whatever. For the record, Breckin Meyer is just as cute in person. We had a great time visiting the LA Farmer’s Market and Grand Central Market (very ethnic. Lamb head, anyone?), Pink’s Hot Dogs and all the other cheesy Hollywood stuff, the pier at Santa Monica, and of course no California trip would be complete without a trip to In-N-Out.

They are a small burger establishment, that has a bit of a cult following. And, for good reason. Their menu is limited; burgers, hand-cut fries, and shakes. If you’re looking for a chicken sandwich, salad or a Happy Meal, you won’t find it there. Nothing is frozen – everything is prepared fresh to order. They also have a “secret” menu, with things that are not found on the ordinary menu. One of which, and probably the most popular, is the “Animal Style”. A homemade special sauce similar to Thousand Island, dill pickle slices, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mustard – which is seared directly onto the burger patty on the grill, and the pièce de résistance, plenty of grilled onions. “Double double” refers to two beef patties, instead of one. In the past few years, they’ve branched out to a couple neighboring states – but nowhere near here! I read their rule of thumb is it has to be within a day’s drive of corporate headquarters?

At any rate, I was in love – ate as many as we could before we had to return to the East coast. We came home, and I turned up pregnant a month or so later. Biggest craving of that pregnancy? You guessed it! Thankfully, the good people at Serious Eats had done a whole writeup about it. I bookmarked it, but never got around to making it. Last week, Maya at Alaska From Scratch posted them and it jogged my memory. I rearranged the menu plan for the week to make room for these burgers, and am so thankful that I did. They were spot on!  Going down in the recipe books for sure. While I can’t wait to get back to California for everything else under the sun, at least I’m not wanting for In-N-Out anymore!

“Animal Style” Double Double

makes 2 double cheeseburgers

For the sauce:
2T + 2t mayonnaise
1T ketchup
2t sweet pickle relish
1/2t distilled vinegar
1/2t sugar

For the onions:
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil, for frying
salt
water

For the burgers:
1 lb ground beef, formed into four 1/4 lb patties
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 slices American cheese
8 dill pickle chips
1 tomato, thickly sliced
Iceburg lettuce leaves, torn into bun size pieces
Hamburger buns, no seeds, toasted

For the sauce, combine ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside (or cover and refrigerate until ready to use).

For the onions, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, coat with oil and salt generously. Cook, stirring and tossing often, adding small amounts of water (1T at a time) whenever onions appear to be dried out (you’ll need to add water several times). Cook 10-15 minutes until onions are very soft and browned. Set aside.

To make the burgers, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Toast the interior of the buns in the hot pan. Place into a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Season the patties with salt and pepper. Place into hot pan. While they cook on the first side, spread 1T of mustard onto the raw sides of the patties. Flip. Place a cheese slice on each patty. Remove patties from pan when cheese is well melted and burgers are cooked through.

To assemble, on the bottom bun, spread a generous amount of the sauce. Top with 4 pickle chips followed by tomato and lettuce, then burger patties. Place the grilled onions directly on top of the cheese. Complete with top bun and serve.

Source: adapted from Serious Eats via Alaska From Scratch