Sunday Nite Dinner » crab

Asparagus Crab Soup (Sup Mang Tay Cua)

Chuck — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:07:12 +0000

Last week, my brother, Trung, left me a message saying that he didn't see asparagus crab soup (sup mang tay cua) on the site. In Vietnamese, asparagus is mang tay and literally translates to "bamboo French". Anyway, I think it's one of his favorite soups.

So, I asked my mom for her recipe and she gave me the steps to making the soup. It's amazing the amount of recipes she keeps in her head. I have a hard enough time remembering just one of them. That's one of the reasons why we started documenting everything on SND.

The soup is easy to make and is essentially an egg drop soup with asparagus and crab. Like making pho, a charred onion is used to add more flavor to the stock. Hungry Bear and I don't like our asparagus mushy and brown, so I only cooked it for a few minutes. The soup turned out great and tasted like my mom's, which made me and my tummy very happy!

There you have it, Trung. Ask and you shall receive. Now, does anyone else have a Viet recipe request for my mom?

Asparagus Crab Soup (Sup Mang Tay Cua) Recipe

SND Note: If you are using homemade chicken stock, the charred onion is not necessary. If you have an electric burner, place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the burner and char the onion on top of the foil. Don't over-beat the eggs if you want ribbons of white and yellow eggs in the soup. For a thicker soup, add additional corn starch.

Ingredients

8 cups (64 ounces) low-sodium chicken stock
1 medium onion, halved
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 pounds (2 bundles) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1 inch segments
1/2 pound cooked crab meat, remove any shells or cartilage
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 large eggs, barely beaten
Handful of cilantro, chopped

Directions

Char the onion halves directly over a gas burner or under a broiler, until blackened and fragrant. Reserve 1/2 cup of chicken stock in a small bowl. In a large stock pot, add the onion halves and remaining stock; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add fish sauce, black pepper, salt and asparagus and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, make a slurry by whisking and dissolving the corn starch into the reserved chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium and add the crab meat. Slowly stir in the corn starch slurry into the soup. Continue stirring to thicken, about 1 minute.
While stirring the soup, slowly pour the eggs in a steady stream. Continue stirring eggs to create shreds or ribbons and until eggs are set, about 1 minute. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve by garnishing with cilantro and a little freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 6 servings

Tags: asparagus, chicken stock, crab, easy, onions, soup, vietnamese

Asparagus Crab Pasta with Leeks and Mushrooms

Chuck — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:54:42 +0000

Last week, I planned on making a tomato based penne. But as we were grocery shopping, I saw a cheap can of crab meat (1 pound for $7.99). Since we are on a recession budget, I decided to give the canned crab a try. And the penne dish morphed into an asparagus crab pasta with leeks and mushrooms.

I tried to keep the pasta simple and make it a one pot dish... well two pots, you need another one to cook the pasta, but you get my point. After I sautéed the garlic, leek, asparagus and mushroom mixture, I gave it a taste and it was great by itself. I opened the can of crab and finally realized it was all claw meat... damn it! No wonder it was so cheap.

I usually eat my steamed crab dipped in a mixture of lemon juice, salt and pepper. So, I added the juice and zest of a lemon to the pasta. Even with the canned crab claw meat, the pasta was really good. It had great flavors from the leeks and asparagus, while the lemon juice and zest brightened up the pasta. Sadly, I overcooked the asparagus by being overzealous with my picture taking.

Next time I make this dish, I'll use fresh crab meat, not take pictures while cooking and this asparagus crab pasta will be even better. Let's hope this recession ends soon!

Side Note: Hungry Bear and I will be moving next week... a long distance move of 1.5 miles. We'll be busy with packing and un-packing for the next two weeks, so new posts will be limited during this time. The good news is we'll be cooking and baking in a much nicer, remodeled kitchen. I can't wait for the first Sunday night dinner in the new place!

Asparagus Crab Pasta with Leeks and Mushrooms Recipe

SND Note: Don't forget to salt the water before cooking your pasta. If the pasta is dry after all ingredients are combined, add a little pasta water and/or a drizzle of olive oil. I used penne in the dish because it was in the pantry, but any pasta can be used.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large leeks, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 large bunch of asparagus (about 1.5 pounds)
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 lemons - 1 lemon zested and juiced, 1 lemon cut in wedges
1-2 Thai chili peppers, minced (optional)
1 pound cooked crab meat, remove any shells or cartilage
1 pound pasta (penne, fettuccini or your favorite type), cooked

Directions

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add garlic and leeks cook until leeks are softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add butter, remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, asparagus, mushrooms, salt and pepper; sauté until vegetables are tender, but with a bite.
Add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, chili pepper, crab meat and mix in with vegetables. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta; mix thoroughly and heat through. Serve with lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil.

Makes 4-6 servings

Tags: asparagus, crab, easy, leeks, mushrooms, pasta, penne

Spicy Crab Cakes

Chuck — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:59:38 +0000

Crab or lobster? Which crustacean do you prefer? I'm a crab person, without a doubt. Yes, it's more work to eat crabs, but crab meat to me is more flavorful and sweeter. Each summer, when I lived in Delaware, we would get a bushel of Old Bay seasoned Maryland blue crabs and a keg of beer and have a crab eating fest. Hungry Bear is sick and tired of hearing this story every time someone brings up blue crabs, so I'll stop reminiscing now.

Through the years, I've looked for a good crab cake recipe and tried out many of them. I've tried recipes with fillers of white bread, saltines and breadcrumbs. I've tried ones with eggs, mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, Old Bay and many other ingredients. In the end, my favorite recipes were the ones with simple ingredients that didn't overpower the taste of the wonderful crab meat.

After tweaking a recipe my Mom clipped out of a newspaper years ago, I finally have a great crab cake recipe. For the binding agents, I used a few tablespoons of mayonnaise and a little milk. And for the filler, I used panko breadcrumbs, which are lighter and flakier than regular breadcrumbs. I've made the crab cakes with Italian parsley and cilantro. Both are good in the cakes, but I prefer the cilantro. The last touch is a little bit of chili garlic sauce for some spiciness.

The final product is a lovely crab cake with hardly any filler and pure sweet crab flavor. There's not much more to say. I think this picture of crab cake innards speaks for itself.

Spicy Crab Cakes Recipe

SND Note: To prevent the crab cakes from falling apart while cooking, make sure to refrigerate the cakes for at least an hour before frying. For more traditional Maryland crab cakes, replace the cilantro with flat leaf parsley and omit the chili sauce.

Ingredients:
1 pound cooked crab meat, remove any shells or cartilage
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup fat-free or low-fat milk
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
6 green onions, trimmed and minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or to taste (optional)
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
3 cups mixed greens
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine crab meat, panko, milk, mayonnaise, cilantro, green onions, salt, pepper and chili sauce. Moisten hands with water and form crab mixture into 8 cakes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2) Lightly coat each cake on both sides with flour. Heat olive oil or butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the crab cakes until crispy and golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve crab cakes on a bed of mixed greens with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings

Tags: breadcrumbs, cakes, cilantro, crab, easy, panko, Seafood, spicy

Vietnamese Crispy Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)

Chuck — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:33:15 +0000

Crispy spring rolls, egg rolls or imperial rolls, whatever you call them, it's cha gio in Vietnamese. My mom's cha gio was one of my favorite things to eat growing up. Nothing compares to my mom's crispy spring rolls. I know I say that about all of her cooking, but I really mean it. When I was younger and attended a lot of Viet gatherings and parties, I would always leave thinking my mom's cooking was better.

Cha gio comes in many different sizes and can be made with spring roll wrappers or rice paper. Traditionally, rice paper is used in Vietnam, but my mom has been using spring roll wrappers for as long as I can remember, so I'm partial to them. I grew up on pork and shrimp cha gio, but a few years ago, my dad became a pescetarian. So last month when I visited my parents, my mom made shrimp and crab rolls.

I don't eat cha gio very often because it's deep fried. So it was a really special treat when my mom made the rolls. Of course, she doesn't measure any ingredients and just cooks by taste and feel. She knew I wanted to document the process for SND and indulged me by measuring everything out. Isn't she great?

The cha gio were fantastic. They contain a few of my favorite things — crab, shrimp, cabbage and shiitake mushrooms. Since they are deep fried, they are obviously nice and crispy. Wrapped up in a fresh piece of lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce), they are absolutely delicious and take me back to my childhood.

Vietnamese Shrimp and Crab Crispy Spring Rolls Recipe

SND Note: Pork and shrimp cha gio can be made by using 1 pound ground pork and 1/2 pound shrimp. 1-1 1/2 ounces of thin cellophane noodles, chopped into 1/2" pieces and soaked in water until soft, is a common ingredient and can also be added to the mixture.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, small dice
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 head small cabbage, thinly sliced
4-5 Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, diced
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound crab meat
1 egg, white and yolk separated
1 package large (8 inch) spring roll wrappers

Directions:
1) Blanch cabbage and place into ice bath. Drain and squeeze out excess water. In a large bowl, mix together garlic, carrots, green onions and cabbage.

2) Chop shrimp into small pieces. To the large bowl, add shrimp, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper and mix. Add crab meat and egg white to mixture and combine evenly.

3) Brush egg yolk on three corners of wrapper. Add 2 tablespoons of filling in center of wrapper, diagonally. Fold the two sides on the diagonal over the filling. Fold the non-egg yolk corner over and tuck snugly under filling and roll up. See the slideshow for pictures of the rolling process.

4) Deep fry the spring rolls in peanut oil at 350°F for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Work in batches. Flip half way through. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Eat wrapped in lettuce with nuoc cham.

Makes 25-30 rolls, which serves 4-6

Tags: cha gio, crab, crispy, deep fried, mushrooms, shiitake, shrimp, spring roll, vietnamese

Stir-Fried Garlic Crab

Chuck — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:06:08 +0000

Dungeness crab season started late this year in San Francisco because of the terrible oil spill in the bay. We were lucky that the spill wasn't worse, and Dungeness crab season was only delayed for a few weeks. Still, I was worried that we wouldn't have crab for Sunday night dinner before all of us left for the holidays.

My parents came to the rescue by sending Jane and Mark a Christmas gift, crab crackers and forks. I had no idea they were sending them a gift, and Jane was especially surprised and happy. Jane wanted to christen the crab tools with a dinner of Dungeness crabs. Way to go Mom and Dad!

On Sunday, Jane picked up crabs at Sun Fat Seafood Company, where they quartered and removed the gills for her. The crabs were a reasonable $3.99 a pound. With the dismantled crab, Garry made stir-fried garlic crab. It's a really simple recipe with a lot of garlic... think garlic fries. We used three heads of garlic for four Dungeness crabs.

The crabs were served with a side of brussels sprouts with Chinese sausage and jasmine rice. The olive oil and garlic from the crabs were great mixed in with the plain white rice. To enhance the sweet crab meat, we dipped the chunks in a salt, black pepper and lime juice mix.

Dinner was delicious and was literally finger licking good. It's definitely a meal you eat with close friends who don't care about table etiquette. We really enjoyed eating with our hands and making a mess. I was particularly elated each time I was able to pull out a big hunk of crab meat from a claw.

Thanks again, Má and Ba, for sending the gift and motivating us to make garlic Dungeness crabs!

SNDsters: Karen, Garry, Mark, Jane, Hungry Bear, Chuck

Stir-Fried Garlic Crab Recipe

The recipe calls for whole crabs. If you want to save time or are squeamish with live crabs, ask your fish monger to quarter the crabs and remove the gills for you.

Ingredients:
4 live Dungeness crabs, 1 1/2 pounds each
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 heads garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:
1) Fill a large stock pot with 3-4 inches of water. Add steamer basket or colander insert, cover and bring water to a boil. When the water is heating, place the crabs into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to knock the crabs out, making them easier to handle.

2) When the water is at a boil, remove crabs from freezer and place them into colander insert. Cover and steam for 20 minutes, until the shells are bright red.

3) Once cooked, remove the crabs with a pair of tongs. Rinse crabs under cold water briefly before dismantling. Remove shell, reserve crab butter (soft yellow matter and green spongy stuff) and remove gills. Quarter the crabs with a big knife, leaving the legs attached to the four sections.

4) Working in batches, if necessary, heat the olive oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the garlic, salt and reserved crab butter and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add quartered crab sections and toss to cover with garlic and oil. Stir-fry the crabs for 4-5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Serve with jasmine rice and a squeeze of lime or with dipping sauce.

Salt, Pepper and Lime Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
1) In a small bowl, mix lime juice, salt and pepper.

2) That's it!

Serves 6

Tags: brussels sprouts, crab, dungeness, garlic, lime, lop chong, sausage, Seafood, stir fry