Black Pepper Dungeness Crab
James Carrier
Dungeness crab is a Pacific coast favorite. This peppery recipe gets an Asian twist with cilantro, green onions, and soy sauce. Serve with steamed white rice.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
In a large bowl, combine cilantro, garlic, onions, ginger, soy, and honey. Add crab pieces. Cover and chill 15 minutes to 1 hour, turning crab often.
Step 2
2
Coarsely grind pepper in a coffee grinder or crush with a rolling pin.
Step 3
3
Pour oil into a 14-inch wok or 6- to 8-quart pan over medium-high heat. Pour crab, marinade, and 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper into wok. Stir often until crab is steaming hot, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
4
Sprinkle remaining pepper over crab and mix well. Ladle crab and juices into bowls.
Step 5
5
Note: Sharon Tobin starts with live crabs that she catches. If you start with live crabs, have your fishmonger kill 3 (5 1/4 to 6 lb. total), and clean and crack them. Marinate pieces (step 1), then lift out and add to hot oil (step 3), cover, and stir often for 5 minutes. Add marinade and 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper to pan and stir often until crab shells are bright red, about 5 minutes more.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/3 cup minced green onions
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3/4 cup reduced-sodium or regular soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
3 cooked Dungeness crabs (4 3/4 to 5 1/2 lb. total), cleaned and cracked
1/4 cup peppercorns
3 tablespoons peanut oil or salad oil
Directions
Step 1
1
In a large bowl, combine cilantro, garlic, onions, ginger, soy, and honey. Add crab pieces. Cover and chill 15 minutes to 1 hour, turning crab often.
Step 2
2
Coarsely grind pepper in a coffee grinder or crush with a rolling pin.
Step 3
3
Pour oil into a 14-inch wok or 6- to 8-quart pan over medium-high heat. Pour crab, marinade, and 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper into wok. Stir often until crab is steaming hot, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
4
Sprinkle remaining pepper over crab and mix well. Ladle crab and juices into bowls.
Step 5
5
Note: Sharon Tobin starts with live crabs that she catches. If you start with live crabs, have your fishmonger kill 3 (5 1/4 to 6 lb. total), and clean and crack them. Marinate pieces (step 1), then lift out and add to hot oil (step 3), cover, and stir often for 5 minutes. Add marinade and 1 1/2 tablespoons pepper to pan and stir often until crab shells are bright red, about 5 minutes more.
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