I think I started to really grasp the essence of cooking when I understood that the act of it mostly means flexing my creativity. That all my best meals are somehow rooted in a sense of culinary playfulness, a willingness to try the new.
Here’s an example. For ages, the only thing I imagined I would ever do with a pot of snow crab (or any crab, really) is boil, crack, butter and eat it. But the advent of receiving regular boxes of seafood compels me to constantly want to try the new. Now that it’s back in stock, I hope you’ll join me as I prepare for a snow crab-inspired fall.
And as you can see from the examples listed below, I’ve moved beyond the boil-crack-butter-and-eat model and into a dynamic world where snow crab gets dressed up, re-imagined, re-mixed and revitalized. Meals like:
Crab Fried Rice — Few things hit the spot like a bowl of fried rice, and if you add crab to that equation you’re basically existing in peak comfort-food glory. We happen to have an amazing king crab fried rice recipe, but it would work just as well with snow crab.
Crab for Breakfast or Brunch — One way to elevate brunch is by including crab as its unexpected force. See our roundup blog post on the wonders of crab brunches, like Savory Crab Bread Pudding and Crab Breakfast Hash.
Crab Risotto — Full of big, bold, robust flavor, a risotto is always a win. With crab, it’s basically nirvanic.
Tomato and Crab Soup with Coconut Milk — If you are lucky enough to have any red beefsteak tomatoes left around, this recipe from Bon Appetit is a rich, tomato-based soup with a pungent Thai flavor profile, garnished with fresh crab meat for a sweetness that adds a bit of balance to the dish.
Broiled Snow Crab Elote — Sweet corn, light and salty cotija cheese, mayonnaise and the addition of fresh crab meat dresses up this Mexican classic with a hit of Alaskan flair. Snow crab is a particularly good choice of crab to use in this Food52 recipe, as it can be distributed evenly throughout, ensuring that every bite is enhanced with a little morsel from the sea.
Crab and Avocado Hand Rolls — I love that this low-carb (no rice needed!) recipe from The Kitchn is also a no-prep recipe, simply made with ripe avocado, ready-to-eat crab meat, and a package of nori. A few other basic ingredients help to give texture and flavor to the crab filling.
And of course, if you do feel like a good old fashioned boil-crack-butter-and-eat situation, here’s a list of delicious dips to think about serving with your snow crab. So, whether you're dreaming about simple butter-soaked bites or a jazzed up crab, we've got snow crab available now. Reserve your share and get cracking!
Live Wild!
Monica
Pictured: Crab fried rice made with brown rice cooked in spot prawn stock, a bag of frozen veggies, egg, sesame oil, scallions, ginger, onion, garlic and soy sauce. I didn’t follow a recipe, and instead just kind of followed my gut, letting the snow crab, of course, lead the way.
