Nothing says West Coast cuisine like Dungeness crab. And since we’re smack dab in the middle of crab season — it began Dec. 1 and wraps up the middle of August — this is still primo crab feed time.
My favorite way to enjoy Dungeness crab is straight out of a crab pot where it’s been boiled just long enough to cook the juicy, tender morsels of meat locked inside that crusty hard-shell exterior.
I usually support such simplicity with an equally simple set of side dishes. A crunchy green salad full of fresh veggies and a zesty dressing or a richly flavored coleslaw, layered with other Pacific Northwest delights, such as richly toasted hazelnuts, and local smoky bacon. Something like that, with some fresh artisan bread and you’re truly set.
When I’m opting for a simple tossed green salad to accompany our crab feeds, a classic Louis dressing is always a part of the event because it’s such a delicious partner to the fresh Dungeness crab. You can make it days ahead — though you may have to hide it in the back of the refrigerator until the feast begins or it will disappear. Additionally, the tomato-pesto mayonnaise and buttery cocktail sauce are delicious accents to consider.
Cooking live crab
My preferred approach is to drop them — still kicking — into several gallons of boiling salted water (1/4 cup of salt per gallon of water). When the water returns to a boil, cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on their size. After cooking, clean the crab by removing the back shell, rinse out the viscera and pull off the gill filaments.
Once they’re cool enough to handle, pull the legs from the main body. Using anything that can be viewed as a kitchen mallet, such as a metal ice cracker, meat tenderizer or even a rolling pin, whack the crabs (don’t be too vigorous or you’ll smash the tender crab meat) in several spots to loosen the shells for easy removal of the meat.
Pile the cracked legs and bodies into big bowls, set them on the table, along with any dipping sauces you’re serving, plus, perhaps, some melted butter and fresh lemons and let friends and family have at it. For the uninitiated, demonstrate how the pointy end of a claw can be used to pry crab meat from the far reaches of legs and body cavities.
The general rule around our house is two people per crab, unless the crab is smaller than 1 1/2 pounds, at which point, you should play it safe and have one crab per person. Plus, for groups larger than four, I always throw in one extra crab “for the pot.”
Tomato-pesto mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1 1/4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato (use Roma tomatoes, if possible)
2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon commercially prepared or homemade pesto (more to taste)
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
This is a wonderful alternative to the classic red seafood cocktail sauce. But actually, I like to serve it alongside the red sauce so folks can sort of mingle the two together if desired.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the onion and gently saute until the onion turns a light golden brown and is lightly caramelized. This will take about 10 minutes. Don’t scorch the onions by cooking over too high of a heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and adjust the temperature up to about medium-high and continue simmering until the tomato mixture has softened, and all of the liquid released by the tomatoes has cooked away, creating a thick mixture, which will take 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl and set aside until cool.
Mix in the mayonnaise, pesto, and brandy, and adjust seasonings, adding additional pesto, salt and pepper as needed. Chill until ready to serve. May be made and refrigerated up to a week ahead.
Buttery cocktail sauce
1 cup seafood cocktail sauce
3 tablespoons butter
In a microwaveable bowl, combine the cocktail sauce with the butter. Loosely cover with plastic wrap to prevent splatters and microwave on high until the butter is mostly melted. Whisk it into the hot cocktail sauce and serve.
Classic Louis dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped green or red sweet bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
Here’s our family favorite dressing for a crab feed. Set it out with a tossed green salad so folks can mingle it with their crab, along with melted butter, a zesty cocktail sauce (I always stir in a bit extra horseradish) and fresh lemon juice, of course.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and chili sauce. Add the peppers, onion, parsley, cayenne, Worcestershire, horseradish, and chopped egg. Blend this mixture thoroughly and then taste to determine if it needs additional chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or horseradish. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a week. If the dressing seems a bit thick, you can stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Makes about 11/2 cups.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, artist, and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks. Readers can email at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain more recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.
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