Sharon Rszaleck tells us, “It’s crab season, and I have a problem. Not catching crabs, but cooking them.
“I’ve been boiling water, a half-cup per crab, and cooking about 5 minutes. Sounds easy, but by the next day, my white meat is turning black. Why? It’s still edible, but not something I want to invite friends over to share. What is wrong?”
For an answer to this gross-out problem, I turned to my totally trustworthy, absolutely invaluable bible on such subjects, “Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookery.”
Here’s what the section on crabs has to say: “The usual method (for cooking) is to drop live crabs into boiling salted water. Put them in upside down; the crab will fold its legs against its shell.
“Be sure water is at a full rolling boil, so the crab dies instantly. The salted, rapidly boiling water will firm meat and improve flavor. Use 1/4 cup salt to each quart of water.
“Cover and boil 15 to 20 minutes. Cool quickly in cold water.”
The book then continues on with complete directions for cleaning and cracking crabs.
Incidentally, as I mentioned in an Aug. 6, 2004, Forum column, if you don’t already own a copy (which I, personally, could not fumble along without), and now desperately want/need one, you can pick them up for $14.95 apiece at West Marine in Everett, GI Joe’s at Lake Stevens, Ed’s Sporting Goods in Lynnwood, or your closest Waldenbooks or B Dalton Bookseller.
By mail, the books can be ordered directly from the publisher by sending a check or money order for $18.14per copy (includes tax and shipping) to Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookery, TNScommunications, P.O. Box 86, Black Diamond, WA 98010.
Next, here’s help for Peggy Benton, courtesy of Everett cook Ginny Kochrian. Benton has been searching for a certain recipe she told us was created by a group of Seattle disc jockeys about 25 years ago.
Happily, Kockrian had this very recipe tucked away in a safe place. She says a friend who belonged to the Edmonds Business Women’s Club gave it to her years and years ago.
She said it sounded too simple – too easy – to be very good. But, to her surprise, and her family’s, too, it’s very good.
Even the kids liked/like it. Nowadays, she adds, you can put this in a crockpot and cook it all day long.
Morton’s merger
2pounds stew meat
1cup dry sherry
1/2package dry onion soup mix
1can cream of mushroom soup
Hot noodles or rice, cooked with a bouillon cube
In large casserole, combine stew meat, sherry, onion soup mix and mushroom soup, mixing thoroughly. Do not add any liquid other than the sherry. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees 3 hours. Serve over hot noodles or rice.
The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Time Out section.
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