The Wall Street Journal isn’t always the first place to look for recipes, but they’ve recently enlisted some established chefs to write on what they love about food. Now that summer is fast approaching (truly stunned that May is next week), Blue Crabs are on everyones mind, including Harold Dieterle, winner of the first season of “Top Chef” and current chef/owner at Perilla and Kin Shop in NYC. Blue Crabs are a deep rooted family memory for Chef Dieterle, and he even shares his family recipe with everyone. Check out the article here and enjoy the recipe below!
Garlic-Baked Blue Crabs With Oregano, Basil and Pullman Loaf by Chef Harold Dieterle
Total Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
24 blue crabs, cleaned
8 slices Pullman loaf
¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
What To Do
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To a saucepan on medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add wine, oregano and salt and pepper, to taste. Return pan to heat and sauté contents for another 1-2 minutes. If you happen to have saved the roe from the crabs, add it to the hot pan, mixing it in evenly with the contents.
2. Place cleaned crabs on a baking sheet, belly-up. Spoon contents of garlic and oil mixture evenly onto each crab. Place baking sheet in oven and bake until meat becomes bright white and claws turn red in color, about 20 minutes.
3. When crabs are nearly cooked, toast bread slices in the toaster oven until they are a light golden brown, about 3 minutes.
4. When crabs are ready, transfer them to a platter. Top generously with chopped basil. Serve with toasted bread on the side for dipping. Be sure to give your guests bowls for discarded crab shells.
Chef’s tip: When preparing crabs, be sure to stun them, either with a blast of hot water or by soaking them in ice-cold water. It’ll make them easier to deal with. They can be fast and their claws aren’t that forgiving.
)
