When I was a kid, my babysitter would take me fishing for Blue Crabs off the dock. What it required was a string with a hunk of bacon tied to the end. When you gently pulled it up to just below the surface, you needed a crab net to scoop up the crabs clinging to the bacon. Otherwise, they would let go of the bacon.
My Mom was never disappointed to find a bucket of two dozen crabs when she got home.
We have posted, somewhat disparagingly, about the Blue Crab's natural history and the Blue Crab as dining material, (too much effort, basically) but we never have disparaged good Maryland crab cakes, especially when consumed in volume with volumes of bad beer in low-life Maryland tatoo pubs with dogs walking around, after a day of duck hunting.
The subject comes up because we noticed projects about the aquaculture of Blue Crabs. Very cool. Fresh water? Who would have thought it?
Here's how they raise them from broodstock.
What a clever country we are. Speaking of clever people, Sippican sends this recipe:
CRAB CAKES
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
2 pounds lump crab meat, picked over
2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup vegetable oil
tarragon tartar sauce as an accompaniment
lemon wedges as an accompaniment
In a bowl whisk together the butter, the eggs, the sour cream, the pa rsley, the
lemon juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the paprika, the salt, and the cayenne and
stir in the crab meat and the bread crumbs gently. Form 1/2-cup measures of the
mixture into twelve 3/4-inch-thick cakes and transfer the crab cakes as they are
formed to a baking sheet sprinkled with half the cornmeal. Sprinkle the crab
cakes with the remaining cornmeal and chill them, covered with plastic wrap, for
at least 1 hour or overnight.
In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but
not smoking and in it sauté the crab cakes in batches, turning them once, for 3 to
4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are
cooked to paper towels to drain. Keep the crab cakes warm on another baking
sheet in a 200°F. oven. Serve the crab cakes with the tarragon tartar sauce and
the lemon wedges.
Makes about 12 crab cakes, serving 6.
I'd skip the bread crumbs. They dilute the crab meat.
