Despite a most wonderful (and needless to say, filling) Thanksgiving meal this past Thursday, my stomach couldn't stop thinking about this great time of year in the Bay Area,
Dungeness crab season. Dungeness are an icon of the Golden Gate fishing industry and a seriously anticipated catch amongst Northern Californian restaurants, diners and dinner tables. The season kicked off on November 15, with great news to boot. This year's crop is said to be one of the most robust in the past decade, meaning more crab at lower prices than we've seen in while. Music to my ears...
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| Starting our crab hunt in the heart of Chinatown |
While many Bay Area folks will serve crab instead of turkey on Thanksgiving, we decided to treat ourselves to both this holiday weekend. On Saturday, we trekked to
Chinatown via North Beach in search of our first Dungeness crabs of the season.Chinatown is known for its fish markets with competitive prices. A word to the squeamish, the markets can be sensory overload, with sights and smells reminiscent of being on the docks themselves.
We usually keep our market shopping to the bustling street of Stockton. Be prepared to be shoved and elbowed and maybe even have the crab you were eyeing up snatched up by the small old Asian woman next to you. Words of advice: Be decisive and be quick. When selecting your crab, we've found the most lively and fiery to be the most delicious. The most active crabs in the tanks typically have the sweetest and heartiest meat. Trust me on this one.
The predictions weren't wrong. The markets were overflowing with Dungeness with prices ranging from $1.99 - $2.99/lb! After trips to two of our go-to fish stores, we selected our succulent soon-to-be dinners and paid up: $10 for two 2-pounders!
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| Chris checking out the crabs in saltwater tanks |
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| Dungeness spilling out of their tanks! |
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Chris prepping the table for the feast
 | | Steaming of the crabs |
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| Ingredients for the corn dish |
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Saute!
 | Two "can't forget" ingredients: melted butter and Old Bay Seasoning
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Prepping for our crab feast is half the fun of eating. The anticipation, the split duties in the kitchen and the plain old tradition. One of the staples of a great crab feast on the east coast is corn, preferably on the cob. Since summertime is long over, we prepare a side dish from the canned kind that's just as delicious (almost). It's fast, simple and provides an excellent compliment to our scrumptious shellfish. The recipe I'm making above is adapted from one I found years ago on
Cooking Light. I omit the basil and tomatoes in the winter.
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| Kissing crabs |
Dungeness crab is certainly a "can't miss" if you're a Bay Area dweller or visiting during the season. Be sure you have the following to ensure a safe, satisfying and utterly gratuitous meal!
- Large steaming pot
- Butter
- Old Bay seasoning
- Crab cracker and pick tools
- Nice bottle of Chardonnay*
- Napkins
- Paper bags or other disposable covering for your table--it's a messy meal!
*We chose a 2007 Simi Russian River Valley Chardonnay for its rich fruit, savory oak and butter flavors and crisp acidity on the finish. Perfect for crab!Of course, you can always skip the mess and work and head down to the Wharf for a pre-cleaned, cooked and cracked crab. Or head to almost any restaurant in the city where you'll see some type of crab--from Benedict to Louis--on every menu. It sure takes the fun out of your own Chinatown fish market adventure, but with prices like these, I say get 'em any way you can ; )
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| Bon appétit--Dinner is served! |
