The second to last episode of Top Chef Portland saw the final three contestants catching, eating and cooking Dungeness Crab. These crustaceans are native to the West coast, and they’re freaking delicious. They’re also a blast to catch.
As we watched the episode, and thought about the encroaching heatwave, my wife wondered aloud what we were both thinking: “So we have to get Dungeness for dinner, now… right?”
Of course we did.
Now it’s not like we could run out and drop pots, but Dungeness is a local delicacy, and like so many of my favorite things, it’s sold at Costco.
The best part about Dungeness crab is the meat speaks for itself. If you watched the Top Chef episode, the standout dishes featured the crab meat first and foremost: crab salad, crab sushi, and just a whole side of crab that Dawn served. The reason is simple. Dungeness crab meat eats tender, but stands up to other flavors (which is why it’s delicious in things like mac and cheese and crab cakes) and is very flavorful and sweet.
I’ve used crab in a number of recipes in the past, and I’d recommend you check them out as well (linked below), but the following is the easiest way (in my humble opinion) to showcase the natural flavors of the crab, and is delicious as an appetizer or as a meal on it’s own.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Dungeness crab meat
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 3 tablespoons of diced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon of diced fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Place all of the ingredients into a bowl, and gently mix them together. I say “gently” because the larger pieces of crab have a tendency to fall apart if they’re treated too roughly.
- Serve scoops of the mixture on crackers, or rounds of baguette.
- That’s it! enjoy it!
Love, Food & Beer 