Advanced Crab Cleaning

When you've had an especially lucky day (7 keepers in 1 pot is our record), the idea of cooking 7 whole crabs may be daunting.  And you most likely have no desire to wake up every hour and keep changing their water through the night.

So if you have gotten comfortable handling the monsters, and you are confident in your stance that crabs - despite their size - have the brain capacity and complexity of a cockroach (they do)....*

You can turn this:

into this:

a bucket o' crab ready for cooking.

Which fits into the pot for steaming much more easily - and will be done in about 8 minutes.  I can fit the cleaned halves of  5 crabs in my pot.  The 7 crab day required two batches.

How to:
Stand on a dock facing out towards the water.  This is best done with grippy gloves.
Holding the crab by the back of the shell with one hand, grasp around 1 set of legs and claws close to the shell with one hand, and then do the same with the other.
Bonk the crab's "face" on the dock to pop off the shell.
Break the crab in half along the edge of the dock.
Clean off the soft stuff** and the dead-man's fingers (gills) under running (fresh) water.
All of this can go straight into the sea.  That is where it came from.

Here's what it looks like - more or less.

Ta Da!  Clean crab ready for the pot!

Alternate method:  A small hatchet or bone cleaver can be used to chop them in half.
Then remove the large outer shell and clean off the soft, inedible parts as above.


*Living in water is what allows the crabs (and lobsters) to get so big.  Water supports their body structure and provides their gills with oxygen more efficiently than dry air on land that feeds the tube system cockroaches use to breathe.  OK... I'll stop, maybe you don't want to know more.

** Biology Warning - Possibly more than you want to know:
The "soft stuff" is the crab's digestive system (intestines, liver, etc.) where the crabs food is digested and it's blood cleared of waste.  Yes, crabs have blood of a sort.
If crabs die before they are cooked all this stuff starts to disintegrate rapidly and will begin to taint the meat.  Thus, crustaceans are cooked live, or killed and then cooked or cleaned instantly.
The liver & fat found under the shell is tasty, and is enjoyable when prepared correctly.  We're just not doing that here.

Crab Crepes

     A galley just isn't the sort of place I can keep my usual stocks of baking ingredients.  However, a nice little container of self-rising flour and another of sugar can expand your cooking horizons.
    Or, if you forget - or get a bright idea - a small packet of pancake mix can solve the same problems.  Look for one that has only flour, baking powder/soda and maybe buttermilk.  Avoid anything that has fat (an oil of some sort) and sugar (anything ending in "-ose").  This limits your options.

Crab Crepes
(the leavening will make these puffier than a standard crepe.  If you have plain flour - lucky you!  Use it.)

crepes:
1 C self-rising flour or pancake mix
1 egg
1 Tbs oil
1 C milk
+ about 1 more C milk or water

Mix the egg, oil and first Cup of milk.
Stir this into the Cup of flour.
Stir the extra liquid in, until you have a thin batter that will spread around the pan just by rotating the pan.  If you can, let the batter sit for about an hour - this is a help, but not essential.

Heat a tsp of butter or oil in a skillet or flat bottomed wok.  Test with a drop of batter - when it sizzles the pan is ready.  Pour in just enough batter to barely cover the bottom of the pan (or make the crepe size you want).  as the batter starts to firm up, shake the pan to loosen the crepe.  As soon as the crepe has a little color on the bottom, and is sturdy enough, flip the crepe with a spatula.
Let the crepe get a little brown on the bottom, and stack on a plate.
Make all the crepes you need for breakfast.
After breakfast, use up the rest of the batter to make crepes for quesadillas later.

fillings:

Crab & Cheese - A small handful of body meat, and some swiss cheese.  Roll into a finished crepe, heat gently to warm the meat and melt the cheese.

Crab & Tart Stone Fruit - Crab season and stone fruit season start together.  If you happen to hit a farmers market just before, or during your cruise, pick up a nectarine, pluot, plum or even a peach.  If there is some fresh goat cheese, grab that as well.
Cut up the fruit into bite size chunks, and stir about a tsp of sugar in with it.  Let that sit and get juicy (macerate) while you are making the crepes.
Fill your crepes with a small handful of body meat, a large spoonful of the fruit, (and if you got your hands on it, a bit of the goat cheese) roll up the crepe, and heat gently to warm the ingredients.

If crab for breakfast is too much for any of the crew, a little butter and sugar is nice too - or just some of the fruit.

Note:
If your batter is too thick, it is easy to thin.  If you added too much liquid, stir in a little more flour/pancake mix.  Crepe batter is quite thin and runny, so try a small crepe before you despair.

Crab Omelets

It is breakfast time, and you have a pile of crab in your little refrigerator from all those crustaceans you just couldn't eat.  What to do, what to do?

For two people - expand as necessary.

Crab Omelets


1 handful of body meat (leg meat would work too)
1 handful of shredded swiss cheese or 2 slices

3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

leftover, crabby butter from the crab cracking -or-
a little oil

a skillet or flat bottomed wok

Beat the eggs, add a pinch of salt & barely any pepper.
Heat a tsp. or so of butter or oil in the pan.  Test with a drop of egg to make sure it sizzles.
Pour 1/2 the egg mixture into the pan.  Roll the pan around to make sure the bottom gets covered.
As the egg starts to solidify, shake the pan to loosen the omelet.
When the egg is no longer liquid - but still soft - lay down the cheese along the center, then half the crab.
Roll or fold the omelet.
Let it sit in the pan just another moment.
Slide onto a plate - get someone to eat it hot.

Repeat the whole thing, and eat this one hot all by yourself!

Crab Melts

A great quick lunch (or dinner) when you want something hot, and are loaded up with crabby goodness.

Crab Melts


Left over bread from cracked crab night -or-
Toasted English muffins (sourdough is my favorite)
(I like to toast them at about 350F for 10 min or so to make the top crispy - this is optional, but keeps the bread from getting soggy.)

Enough Crab Salad to cover the bread
1 slice swiss cheese

Spread a nice thick layer of the crab salad over the toast, pop the cheese on top, and warm in the oven (350F) until the cheese melts.

Serve with some fruit or veg.
Yum!

Garlic Bread on a Boat

Garlic bread in the galley means taking advantage of what you have, and not missing what's not there.

     To keep the bread in good shape I get a hard crusted loaf (one you can flick with a finger, and it doesn't dent), in the frozen and/or par-baked state, if I can get it (If your local grocery has "fresh baked bread" talk to the bakery counter.  They have it in back).
    I bring this bread on board already cut in half (just because my crew is small) and frozen in a sturdy, closable plastic bag.  When it is time for bread, I leave it out to thaw if it hasn't already, slice it, place the pieces in the bottom of the broiler pan that came with my oven, and bake it at 350 for about 8 - 10 minutes.  Really until the edges are starting to get a little crispy, and it smells like bread.

Garlic Butter (an excellent job for idle crew - increase recipe as needed)

When you take out the bread to thaw, pull out half a stick of butter (4 Tbs) and let it warm up in a sturdy cup or small bowl.

When it is smoosh-able by fork, stir in

1 clove mined garlic (or 1/2 tsp powdered garlic)
salt to taste

Simply serve this at the table for all to spread on their toasty bread as they would like.

A Big Green Salad on the Boat

Salads are one place where Julia Child really gets the first "Last Word."
It is all about the dressing, and as she said, there is nothing like one made fresh.

     In a galley, where refrigerator space is at a premium, giving up real estate to a salad dressing bottle is out of the question.  So, what to do instead?  Use the pantry ingredients that have other jobs, but were always intended for making salad dressing.

     All successful oil & vinegar or vinaigrette dressings have just a few essential elements, and the rest is poetic license.  You just need a fat, an acid, an emulsifier and some seasoning.  Such an open ended recipe is perfect for the galley cook working at the end the stores, or with unfamiliar material.
     Fat can be oil, melted butter, or even bacon drippings (yum...) or some combination.   For acid we often think of vinegar, but it can be a citrus juice or anything sour.  Mixes of acids from what you have on hand can make some serendipitous flavors (lime juice and rice vinegar, lemon and balsamic).
     The job of the emulsifier is to add body to the dressing by getting the oil to hook itself to the vinegar even if just for a little while.  Mustard (prepared or powdered), egg yolks & anchovy paste all fit the bill, and have a decent chance of being on board.  Mayonnaise will even work in a pinch, since that is a vinaigrette that has just been whipped to another state - peek at the ingredients to see what I mean.
     Seasonings are all about personal style.  I like to add salt and pepper to taste, and usually a minced clove of garlic (or the powdered equivalent). This is a great place for seasoning salt or your secret spice blend.

The measurements are standard, but do not suffer from being eyeballed, and then adjusted as you go.

Dressing for a  Big Green Salad

1 tsp mustard (or 1/2 tsp dry mustard)
1 garlic clove chopped fine (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 Tbs vinegar or citrus juice - a little more if using powdered ingredients
A pinch of salt and pepper

Mix these together with a fork in a cup or in the salad bowl.  Then while stirring, slowly pour in

2 Tbs oil

 All these ingredients can also be put into a small jar/tupperware and shaken vigorously by some crew member just sitting there, watching the cook work.

     Toss this with whatever tender, leafy greens you get your hands on - lettuce, cabbage, spinach, and add in thin slices of whatever vegetables and/or tart fruits are on hand.  Some excellent combinations include; onions & mandarin orange slices, tart apples & celery, onions & sour plums.

This, of course, all works on dry land too.

Day 7 - Part I - Hutong; the Market

Today was the day Tavin and I went for a guided tour of an everyday market in a Hutong. 

Thank you Sophia!

            What, you ask, is a Hutong?  Quickly, they are the traditional local communities that used to make up Beijing (and I suspect most urban centers throughout China).  Each one has many houses, connected wall to wall.  Courtyards within the walls, small streets for travelling between.  Along with the houses, they are inhabited with small specialty shops and a central market for daily shopping.

          

The Hutong
Excellent place to learn about
all things Beijing - old and new

  

Tavin and I were instructed to arrive at this particular house at 9am sharp.  It turned out to be a welcoming hangout for both visitors and Ex-Pats of all sorts.  Due to the vagaries of subway and sidewalk travel, paired with finding our way to somewhere we had never been, we gave ourselves plenty of time. 

This is when I also learned many houses, even now, in the Beijing Hutong have only a cold running tap, and are not plumbed for sewage. 

What's a chamber pot?
Oh, you modern kids.

Since Murphy’s Law was intact, we arrived 20 minutes early.  And we found the ‘neighborhood’ toilet.  We got to see part of the parade of the locals going into the toilet (which was a modern flush facility – though squat only) to empty their plastic chamber pots.  

            

Sophia greeted us with tea, and since it was plenty chilly, we held it and drank it gratefully.  As I had mentioned earlier, Late January is the slow tourist season, for so many reasons.  Result?  Tavin and I were the only Tourists.  Loved It!  

I discovered that a childhood in the Seattle area, particularly wandering Uwajimaya and Pike Place market had prepared me well for the offerings of a northern Chinese Market.  Watching a *few* hours of Iron Chef (both versions) didn't hurt either.

            Why specify “Northern” Chinese?  Well, you go south, and things get tropical, and that is NOT what a PNW girl knows.  Further, there is a greater use of dairy, dried lentils and beans, wheat, millet and other grains in addition to rice.  This made for much more I could identify or guess at intelligently.

When you look at this - remember, this is LATE JANUARY, and it is literally Freezing Cold outside.  This *whole market* is about the size of your local large grocery store's produce department - or a big 7-11.  The variety of Fresh Food is staggering!  The prepared food is tofu, cleaned fish, bread & pickles.  The only packaged food are some spices and yogurt.

While we may turn our nose up at a country/world wide food-o-sphere, I think that's just because we (the US) has gone the wrong way with it. 

OK, just look:

Tofu - noodles, sheets, smoked,
frozen, stinky, fried
and regular

Clockwise from top left corner - cilantro w/ roots
mushrooms, Anaheim-type chili pepper,
cucumber (with blossoms so you know it is fresh)
& turnip

L to R: Potatoes, garlic scapes,
lotus root, summer squash, cauliflower

L to R: Enormous radishes, turnips,
long radishes & carrots

L to R: lotus roots, lettuce roots &
daikon (roots).

Mushroom-a-rama, pea pods & celery

Clockwise from 12:
Iceberg lettuce (really!) globe eggplant,
summer squash, tomatoes, daikon,
shitake mushrooms, lotus root,
Japanese eggplant, carrots,
potatoes & onions 

L to R: garlic scapes, cucumbers (again
blossoms as freshness measure)
lettuce roots, leeks.
All this produce in Feb - while freezing outside?
greenhouses & transport are important in China

The deli hot-case:
all manner of barbecue, sausages
and braised, spiced meats.  Don't miss the
4 preps of chicken feet; steamed, fried,
curry spice & barbecue

Basically a Chinese antipasto bar:
all sorts of pickled and spiced veg, tofu
mushrooms, noodles and salads 

Noodles - bottom left
savory donuts, toast, sesame cakes and
chili fried peanuts in the pan

Fried bread, steamed bread (hum-bao!)
and an egg sandwich!
See you can get a sandwich in China,
You just need to know where to look.

  

Top to bottom:
lentils, beans,
beans, rice & millet

more beans and grains - including
chick peas, black beans &
black rice in the bottom row.

2 millet-y grains

Chicken parts, chicken
& the infamous Black Chicken
(better for its broth than its meat I have been told)

Clockwise from top left:
pork kidneys, pork ankles,
pork bellies, ?,
chicken wings, breasts,
drumsticks, chicken feet,
pork livers

Eggs!
Fresh chicken (brown & white),
preserved chicken
duck & quail

Pickled everything!
bamboo shoots, lettuce, mushrooms
eggplants, cabbage &
strange tuber-y things

All sorts of spicy pickles - garlic,
chilis, tofu, veg & ????

Seafood!  fish, squids
& bamboo shoots...

Fresh frogs! Live inna tank.

Spices!
Dried chilis, chili flakes
pepper corns & whole star anise

Dried mushrooms, roots
nutmegs (w/ & w/out mace)
& lots of stuff I don't recognize.

At last Tavin and I got our hands on the (so far) fabled excellent drinking yogurt of Beijing.  And it was good.  Milky, and tart with a hint of sweetness (traditionally honey).  The fun bit was, as tourists, they want you to drink it RIGHT THERE, as they are expecting those nice porcelain jars back.  A local could take a few home, but we had to drink the yogurt all up, and leave them in the bin with the other empties.

This is the market within walking distance of a HUGE number of people.  Americans have gas station convenience stores or 7-11's serving this purpose.  A TOTALLY different view of feeding ourselves.  I can't say more.