Garlic and Chile Roasted Crab

I have a confession to make. While I love the taste of crab I'm a lousey picker. Picking crab requires co-ordination, hand strength and most of all patience. I have none period, exclamation mark. Consequently, I left the table last night still hungry. Don't feel sorry for me because I did make dessert but more about that later.

Of course Big Guy's the one responsible for bringing home three particularly lovely Dungeness after a few short hours on the bay in his boat so I suppose it's only right he should enjoy the majority of the fruits of his labor. Magnanimous aren't I as in

"1. Courageously noble in mind and heart.

 2. Generous in forgiving; eschewing resentment or revenge; unselfish"

Now, I'm pretty sure I mentioned how much we enjoyed our last version of oven roasted crab (you know the one with orange butter), so I figured we give another roasted crab recipe a try. This one's courtesy of Emeril via Food Network which is an automatic thumbs-up but I made a couple of changes to it because I didn't see the point in "roasting" crab in a cup of butter and a cup of oil. Yikes, it sounds more like a Paula than an Emeril don't ya' think?

Anyway this one's pretty simple with garlic, onion, enough fat to float a boat and red chile flakes - oh and the crab of course, steamed lightly and cut in half before it hits the good stuff. Served with lovely crusty bread for soaking up the juices, to be honest it was pretty darned tasty - at least the half a crustracean I managed to eat. I added lots of fresh squeezed lemon to my pickin's because I thought the recipe really needed a bite of citrus and maybe some white wine would have been lovely too. It was ok.  

Can you tell I much preferred the orange butter version over this one? Do you think my opinion stopped Big Guy from chowing down on the rest? Do you think if I whine enough, he'll pick my crab for me next time? I guess we'll have to see huh. 

Garlic and Chile Roasted Crab (from JBug’s Kitchen Antics adapted from Emeril via Foodnetwork.com)

 3 Dungeness crabs, lightly steamed, cleaned and cut in half

 5 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 medium onion, minced

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup good quality olive oil

Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 450. Place garlic, onion, butter, and olive oil in a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper and add red pepper flakes. Place into preheated oven on bottom rack and roast, stirring often until onion and garlic are golden brown. Remove from the oven and add crab. Toss together to coat crab with mixture and return pan to the oven. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side along with lots of hot crusty bread. 

A year ago - Autumn Chicken Salad 

Two years ago - Mango Chicken Curry

Three years ago -  Pasta Salad with Green Olivada

Comments

[Lorraine]

That is the only downside to crab: the picking. Other than that fresh crab is so totally worth it that I will sit for hours if I have to to get at all that lovely meat. But if I could get that done for me I sure would. Start working on BG now for the next time he brings home the good stuff.

[Big Guy]

Yes I will. Pick your crab that is.

[June]

Lorraine - see your advice worked already. Must'a been the whining.

Big Guy - you da' Man!

[Lea Callais]

That looks so good - and you are lucky in that the Big Guy loves you so! Growing up Cajun with those little sweet blue crabs - I learned to pick crabs at an early age - like I don't remember NOT picking my own crabs to eat. So, to me - it is just part of the deal - give me a little sharp knife, a butter knife, and a nut cracker - some cold lite beer - some good boiled crabs, some crackers and boiled little red potatoes and corn that was cooked with the crabs - and I am one happy Cajun! I do love Dungeness - they are so large - one will do ya! Here - half a dozen at least!

[June]

MMM, I'll take the corn, potatoes and beer and leave you the crab. Tee,hee.