Crabbing has been good again
November 29th 2006 16:20
Crabbing has been good the last couple of days. In fact only using two “witches hats” of the five I am allowed I have managed to top up my little freezer so I can’t fit any more in! I don’t know if it’s the moon phase or that it is just the right time of the year but blue swimmers seem to be prolific.
I have to check the traps “witches hats” every couple of hours as they can become badly damaged if the crabs are allowed to be trapped for very long.
This gives me an opportunity for a little exercise as well. Where I live on the water it is quite shallow and the motor of my tinnie ends up dragging in the mud or weed so I have to row about a couple of chain each way before I am in deep enough water for the motor. The crabs are caught in water of around two metres or more though I have hand speared them in very shallow water. The traps need deep enough water to take on their shape to be effective.
Normally I use fish cages or heads but recently I have been just freezing my fish whole (lazy me) so I don’t have much fresh bait. What I tried in the last couple of days with a lot of success was octopus. I know crayfish love it so why not crabs? Small imported octopus is available for around $4.00 per kilo and just two tied (I use very light gauge wire or fish hooks for ease of handling) to a trap will last an age. Small peckers the fish that chew off the bait find it to tough and the crabs are attracted but don’t eat to much either.
Crab Dianne: Chill or freeze your crab to keep it blue and kill it. I am not shy about chucking live crabs whole into a pot of fast boiling water but we need fresh uncooked for this recipe. I don’t like to shuck my crabs live. It works but I draw the line at that cruelty. When the crabs are dead. Shuck them by removing the carapace or outer back shell, Wash the dead man’s fingers, (one day I will tell the true story how they got this name) from the body and any roe, which can make a delightful sauce later. Cut the body in two length ways then again each half in half in the other direction. Remove the claws if the haven’t fallen off yet. With the back of knife or rolling pin crack the shell in as many places as you can. Don’t mangle it just light cracks.
Melt butter in a wok or fry pan and add an equal amount of oil, some garlic (and I wish I could use chill but not for this.) throw in the crab and move it about till the shell is nice and red. Add salt, pepper, Worcester sauce and when the pan is very hot a good shot or two of brandy. Let the brandy flame off in a huge whoosh, impresses the guests and kids no end. Add cream or sour cream to the sauce. It should remain quite thick. If not add some dobs of butter. Cut in green shallots and serve. Accompany with almost anything that mops up the sauce. Add the shells, dead mans fingers, the back etc to your burly.
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I have to check the traps “witches hats” every couple of hours as they can become badly damaged if the crabs are allowed to be trapped for very long.
This gives me an opportunity for a little exercise as well. Where I live on the water it is quite shallow and the motor of my tinnie ends up dragging in the mud or weed so I have to row about a couple of chain each way before I am in deep enough water for the motor. The crabs are caught in water of around two metres or more though I have hand speared them in very shallow water. The traps need deep enough water to take on their shape to be effective.
Normally I use fish cages or heads but recently I have been just freezing my fish whole (lazy me) so I don’t have much fresh bait. What I tried in the last couple of days with a lot of success was octopus. I know crayfish love it so why not crabs? Small imported octopus is available for around $4.00 per kilo and just two tied (I use very light gauge wire or fish hooks for ease of handling) to a trap will last an age. Small peckers the fish that chew off the bait find it to tough and the crabs are attracted but don’t eat to much either.
Crab Dianne: Chill or freeze your crab to keep it blue and kill it. I am not shy about chucking live crabs whole into a pot of fast boiling water but we need fresh uncooked for this recipe. I don’t like to shuck my crabs live. It works but I draw the line at that cruelty. When the crabs are dead. Shuck them by removing the carapace or outer back shell, Wash the dead man’s fingers, (one day I will tell the true story how they got this name) from the body and any roe, which can make a delightful sauce later. Cut the body in two length ways then again each half in half in the other direction. Remove the claws if the haven’t fallen off yet. With the back of knife or rolling pin crack the shell in as many places as you can. Don’t mangle it just light cracks.
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