Many people would not know what to do with a live crab, that is, how to kill it and dress it. This knowledge has been passed down for centuries through many different ways. But sadly, it now seems that despite having knowledge at our fingertips (or Google on our smart phone), we fail to recognise the value of knowing how to prepare crabs.
Of course, it may appear daunting. You are responsible for killing a living thing. Perhaps this responsibility can make us reflect more on our relationship to food. You can just stab the crab between the eyes to kill it, but I find it is easier to put them straight into boiling water.
Simmer the crab for 15 minutes and then remove and place into ice-water. When cold, crack open the claws (most of the meat resides here) and the body. The brown meat inside the crab is edible, but I prefer not to mix the white and brown meat and use them separately.
How to make potted crab
Potted crab is an age-old dish in Ireland, dating back centuries to the days of the Big House. Nowadays, I would leave out the mace and black pepper that features in these older recipes and possibly substitute fresh herbs such as dill or tarragon. If you have access to wild sea herbs, I would add sea radish and sea beet instead. You could also swap the butter that was traditionally used for extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil, for a lighter potted crab.
To 500g of crab meat (picked clean of any cartilage and shell) add the juice and zest of one lemon and 100g melted butter.
Season with sea salt and plenty of chopped herbs. Of course, if you’re a fan of black pepper, add as much as you like.
Place the crab in four small jars or cups and cover with a thick layer of clarified butter (melted butter with the milk solids removed).
Place in the fridge and remove for 30 minutes before serving.
