It’s the summer season and nothing says weekend dining like seafood. This year, her goal is to go big or go home, and she has every intention of making her seafood-themed meal a hit with her friends and family. As she looks forward to her weekend plans, she considers surprising everyone with an Alaskan Dungeness crab dinner. With these helpful cleaning hacks and recipe ideas, you’ll have not only a lip-smacking entree, but an amazing dinner as well.
Cleaning your Alaska Dungeness crab is your biggest hurdle as a beginner; however, the process is simple. First, make sure your crab is thawed properly, and if not, follow the thawing instructions. Then, hold the bottom of the crab with one hand and stick the thumb of your other hand under the crab’s back shell, gently lifting it up. Once the back cover has been removed, remove any semi-liquid material or viscera, as well as any feathery gills from the body. Be sure to rinse the body with cool water to remove any remaining material.
Third, slice the Alaskan Dungeness crab in half. Separate legs one at a time; however, make sure there is still a decent amount of body attached to each leg. Finally, break the leg of each shell with a small meat mallet to expose the crab meat. From there, the crab meat can be scooped out with a fork or small pick.
There are a variety of dipping sauces you can create to add extra flavor to your Alaskan Dungeness crab dinner. For example, a Mediterranean-inspired dip is a great addition to your summer seafood meal. To make the dip, you need:
- 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream
- 2 cups low-fat mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1 can sliced olives, drained
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
Just combine all the ingredients in a bowl and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly.
Alaskan Dungeness Crab with Mediterranean Sauce is easy to prepare and is sure to impress your friends and family. Good luck!