Scallop Ceviche

This scallop ceviche is my first green crab dish for 2020! I wonder if this is a sign that I will be eating more of these creatures for the rest of the year! The sea scallops were previously frozen (harvested by my local fisherman, Mike Anderson). I made the salted green crab roe, pickled the kelp (the kelp was grown by Catherine Puckett of Block Island) and grew the microgreens in my kitchen. Since the salted roe has enough salt you may want to omit the salt.

This dish does not need a recipe. You just need to add your ingredients (use whatever you have available or desire), squeeze some fresh lime or lemon wedges and enjoy! It is simple, fun to make and so delicious. The only thing I would comment on is that any raw seafood you use must be very fresh and that there is no cross-contamination with freshwater fish or poor handling. My scallops came from a local fisherman, sealed well using a food saver and kept them in the freezer. So far these are the only scallops that I trust to consume raw.

If you are pregnant, immunocompromised or have any health issues or unsure of your health conditions you may want to consult your health care providers before eating any raw or partially cooked seafood. 

scallop ceviche

Scallop Ceviche

Ingredients:

Cooked roe from 3 large female salted green crabs
4-5 large sea scallops, tough muscles removed, diced into 4-6 pieces
About 8-inch piece of Pickled Kelp, sliced
Some chopped scallions (green parts only)
Some fresh cilantro leaves
Some microgreens
Sriracha sauce (to taste)
Fresh lime or lemon juice (to taste)
Olive oil (to taste)
Sea salt (to taste)

Method:

Cook the salted green crabs for about 5-7 minutes and remove the roe and set aside. Add scallops, kelp, scallions, cilantro, microgreens, and roe. Season with sriracha sauce, lime or lemon juice, oil, and salt. Gently mix and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Charcuterie Board

Recently I made a charcuterie board for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner and people seemed to like it so I am making another board using similar ingredients to share with you. For this board, I have 3 different types of cheese--soft, medium and hard, 3 types of cured meats, pate, dried mission figs, dried dates, roasted macadamia nuts, crackers and of course fried tiny green crabs less than 3/4 inch each. Don't let the crabs scare you. Give it a try because you may end up liking it! The cheese recommendation came from Nancy, owner of a European style cheese store, C'est Cheese. This store has more than cheese products so check it out if you are ever in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

Creating a spread for a charcuterie board is fun and easy. Below is a list of food idea that are typically used on a charcuterie board or plate:

Cheese
Cured meats
Pate 
Dips or spreads
Nuts or seeds
Dried or fresh fruits
Olives or pickles
Fresh vegetables 
Crackers or toasted/grilled baguette slices
Jams, honey, or maple syrup

Below is a board that I made for 2 people. However, you can easily make it larger with more ingredients to feed a crowd. Thank you, Saveur Magazine for the board!

charcuterie board with green crabs

Charcuterie Board

Ingredients:

About 5 oz Aged Goat Gouda (from Holland)
About 4 1/2 oz Truffled Cheddar (from England)
About 3 oz Black Label Cambozola (from Germany)
About 1/2 cup of roasted macadamia nuts
6 thinly slices of pepper salame
6 thinly slices of dry coppa (mild)
6 thinly slices of prosciutto
10 dried mission figs
10 dried dates
5.5 oz of store-bought or home-made pate
2-3 types of crackers
13-15 fried green crabs

Method:

Fry the green crabs in oil until they turn orange-red color and are cooked, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size. Arrange the ingredients according to your style.

Crab Roe On a Triple Deck

Our neighbors Joyce and Doug planned a neighborhood get together to meet one another. It seems that these days despite being surrounded by many neighbors we are living in isolation. Everyone rushes out to work in the morning and comes home late at night and stays in. The only time we see some of them is during a heavy snowstorm when we are forced to dig out our vehicles. Today's event was a success and we met some wonderful people. Thank you, Joyce for your brilliant idea!

I decided to serve some green crabs. Why not? This IS New England and we EAT seafood here! 😀I am not trying to win votes for anything. I just want to let people know about these invasive green crabs and to provide a very small taste to those interested. About half of the people (ok, maybe less!) tried and the rest just watched those taking a bite! I actually unable to tell if people actually liked it. One of them ate a second piece...maybe he felt obligated since I put it in front of his face!

This recipe calls for 10 small bites but feel free to make more. I steamed the hard shell female green crabs for about 10 minutes. Once cooled I kept them in the refrigerator. I harvested the roe and used for these appetizers. 

crab roe on a triple deck

Crab Roe On a Triple Deck

Ingredients:

10 Ritz crackers (or crackers of your choice)
10 slices of brie (or cheese of your choice)
10 slices of sliced tomato (or cucumber), dabbed with paper towels to remove excess liquid
2 mint leaves (or another herb of your choice), cut into strips, chopped or hand torn
Roe from 8-10 cooked hard-shell female green crabs

Method:

Layer the brie slices, tomato slices, herb and roe on crackers.

Monkfish and Crab Ceviche

If you eat or make ceviche you know that the seafood is usually "cooked" in an acidic liquid such as lime or lemon juice. However, this ceviche is made with steamed monkfish and green crab roe. This is a dish to make if you do not want to eat any raw seafood. If you cook with monkfish you may have noticed an occasional 1-inch string-like worm here and there--which is quite common according to my fisherman friend, Captain Ralph MacDonald of New Hampshire. They are harmlesss when the fish is cooked. When you make this you can adjust the ingredients and season with acid and salt according to your preference and taste. This colorful and delicious ceviche dish makes a great appetizer for a small crowd of 6-8.

This week Dr. Gabriela Bradt of UNH consulted with me to make something using green crabs and fish of the week which happens to be monkfish. She brought this ceviche dish, fried rice and fried soft-shell green crabs to the Farmers' Market in Exeter, New Hampshire for the market customers to sample. She tells me the items were a hit. She and her interns were able to sell some female hard-shell green crabs for those who want to try making ceviche at home with the roe. Dr. Bradt is a pioneer in selling green crabs and bringing green crab prepared foods to the Farmers' Market in the US! It is never easy selling new ingredients, let alone invasive species to the public but today she did it...and some of those brave customers get to experiment with a new food ingredient! This is a remarkable week in green crab history for New Hampshire and the US!

monkfish and crab ceviche

Monkfish and Crab Ceviche

Ingredients:

About 1 1/2 lbs monkfish, steamed until opague and tender, diced
About 20-25 female green crabs, steamed and roe removed
1 whole sweet corn, steamed and cut off the kernels
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
About 1/8 small red onion, thinly sliced and cut in half, soaked in cold water
About 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
About 2 Tbsp finely chopped scallion, green parts only
Zest from 1 lime
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lime
Juice from 1/2 to 1 lemon
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the monkfish lengthwise into thinner pieces to cook faster. Steam the fish until it is opaque and you can easily pierce the thickest part of the fish with a fork. Let it cool and dice or cut into small bite size.

Steam the crabs for about 10 minutes. Let them cool and remove the roe.

In the last 3-4 minutes of steaming the crabs add the corn to steam. Remove once cooked and slice off the kernels.

Soak the red onion slices in cold or ice water for about 15-20 minutes. Remove and squeeze out the water. This will help eliminate a strong onion taste.

In a large glass bowl add cut fish, roe, corn kernels, peppers, onion, cilantro, scallion, zest, juices and salt to taste. Gently mix all ingredients and adjust the acidic juices and salt as needed.

Helpful Hints:

*You may make this ahead of time but do not mix the cilantro, scallion, juices and salt until about an hour before you are ready to serve.

Scallop Crudo III

Today just seem to be a scallop crudo day at my house! It is impossible to be full by eating a single scallop at a time! And if I am consuming at this rate then I will definitely extend my scallop supply easily until the next scallop season! Thank you, Mike Anderson and his crew of Rimrack Fish for the fresh-off-the-boat sea scallops!

Today I also feel a bit daring to share this abstract piece with you. Don't let the pink liquid scare you. It is from a little of the freshly squeezed blood orange juice! 😀

scallop crudo III

scallop crudo III

Scallop Crudo III

Ingredients:

7 thinly sliced English cucumber circles
1 large sea scallop, tough muscle removed and discarded, thinly sliced
5 thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cold water, squeezed out the liquid prior to using
Meat from 1-2 cooked Salted Green Crabs (Ba Khia), depending on your preference
Several small pinches of dried lime, lemon, blood orange zest
Several small pinches of finely chopped fresh cilantro
Several small pinches of dried red hot chili peppers
A very small pinch of sea salt
A drizzle of freshly squeezed blood orange juice
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Use your imagination and creativity to arrange the ingredients or as per photo. Arrange the cucumber slices in a circle on a plate. Arrange the slices of scallop between the cucumber slices. Use the ends of the scallop slices for the center to add height. Arrange the onion around the center piece. Scatter the crab meat, zest, cilantro, peppers and sea salt on top. Lastly drizzle the entire plate with juice and oil.

Scallop Crudo II

Just one large scallop is enough to create a beautiful and delicious appetizer that will make your family and friends craving for more! Here is another scallop crudo. This time I added a tiny pinch of sea salt scattered over the outer edges of the scallop slices and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 

If you would like to have some fresh-off-the-boat fresh sea scallops you can visit Rimrack Fish to inquire about their next scallop season! You may contact Enna Chocolate to purchase your chocolate nibs and other tasty chocolate treats from around the world!

scallop crudo II

Scallop Crudo II

Ingredients:

1 large sea scallop, tough muscle removed and discarded, sliced thinly
12 thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cold water and squeezed out the liquid prior to using
Meat from 1-2 cooked Salted Green Crab (Ba Khia), depending on your preference
A large pinch of finely pinched fresh cilantro
A large pinch of unsweetened Peruvian chocolate nibs
Several small pinches of dried lime, lemon and blood orange zest
Several small pinches of dried chili peppers
A drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
A very small pinch of sea salt

Method:

Arrange the ingredients per photo or use your own creation and imagination. Place the slices of scallop and red onion on your dish. Arrange the salted crab meat, cilantro, chocolate nibs, citric zest and chili peppers. Drizzle lemon juice and oil over everything. Scatter the sea salt on the edges away from the salted crab meat.

Scallop Crudo

I enjoy eating raw scallops especially when they are harvested by my local fisherman, Mike Anderson of Rimrack Fish. The Italians have their version of raw seafood dish known as crudo. The ones that I ate in the past seemed to have some sort of oil added. Here I did not add any but you certainly can drizzle a little of your favorite oil on top for extra flavors.

scallop crudo

Scallop Crudo

Ingredients:

1 large scallop, tough muscle removed and discard, sliced thinly against the grain
Meat and roe from 1-2 cooked Salted Green Crab (Ba Khia), depending on how much you prefer
Several thinly slices of red onion, soaked in cold water and squeezed out the liquid
A large pinch of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
A pinch of Peruvian chocolate nibs (from Enna Chocolate)
A small pinch of dried lime zest
A small pinch of dried lemon zest
A small pinch of dried blood orange zest
A small pinch of dried seaweed
A small pinch of dried chili peppers
Drizzle of freshly squeezed lime juice

Method:

Thinly slice the scallop against the grain and arrange them on a plate. Arrange the onion slices and salted green crab meat and roe on the plate. Add a large pinch of cilantro, chocolate nibs, and sprinkle on the crumbled citric zest, seaweed and chili peppers. Drizzle with freshly squeezed lime juice.

Helpful Hints:

*If you are interested in purchasing the Peruvivan chocolate nibs (unsweetened) please contact Enna Chocolate directly.
*If you are interested in purchasing scallops or squid from Rimrack Fish, please contact them directly. Unfortuately the scallop season has just ended as of this month (April 2019).

Crispy Rolls (Cha Gio)

I posted a few photos (see below) from this post on my Facebook page with a joking caption, "New menu items coming soon to Green Crab Cafe!!". My friend/colleague, Sue commented, "Boy this one is a tough sell!!" What do you think?!

In my family we have a variety of different fillings for these type of crispy rolls known in Vietnamese as chả giò. This one is popular in Vietnam minus the crab roe and the little crabs clinging to the sides! The ratio of crab meat, shrimp and pork is based on the individual preference. You may find the water chestnuts, bean thread noodles and wood ear fungus in any Asian markets. Some people prefer this filling either more salty or sweet; adjust the seasoning according to your taste preference. My filling is mild--not too salty or sweet so these rolls can be dipped in a sauce.

These can be eaten as snacks, appetizers or even with rice or noodles. For a light meal (see below) I add lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables, unsalted roasted peanuts (see recipe below) on cooked rice noodles (bún) with a drizzle of sauce (see recipe below).

noodle bowl with crispy rolls

crispy rolls using spring roll wrappers

crispy rolls made from rice papers

Crispy Rolls (Chả Giò)

Ingredients:

Seafood and Meat Filling (see recipe below)
24 to 48 small green crabs (preferably less than 1 inch; may use soft, semi-soft to hard shell crabs)
4 sheets of rice paper or bánh tráng in Vietnamese (25 cm or about 10 inch diameter)
10 spring roll wrappers (6 1/2 inch x 6 1/2 inch)
1 (chicken) egg yolk, glue for sealing and attaching the whole crabs
Oil (such as vegetable or peanut) for deep frying

Method:

Rub the crabs with about 2 teaspoons of salt and wash them well with cold water.

Divide the 12 ounces of filling into 4 parts. Wet one rice paper on both sides with a little warm water. Wipe off any excess water with your hand. Spread 1 part of the filling across the lower third of the sheet and roll tightly into a thin log (about 1 inch in diameter). Use a serrated or sharp knife to cut the log into 6 smaller pieces. Press (with the flat part of a knife) any overflowing stuffing back into the ends of each piece if needed. Take a small crab, dip the belly with some egg yolk and attach it at the end of each piece. Do the same with the other end if using 2 crabs per piece. Repeat until all the filling is used. Set the pieces on parchment paper without touching. The parchment paper will prevent them from sticking to the bottom.

log roll with rice paper

cut pieces with crabs attached on both ends

Divide the 1 pound of filling into 10 parts. Lie one wrapper with the tip pointing towards you. Brush about 2 inches of the opposite tip with some egg yolk. Spread 1 part of the filling on the lower third of the wrapper. Tightly roll the tip away from you, fold in the sides and continue to roll tightly to seal. Repeat until the all the filling is used.

rolls with spring roll wrappers

Preheat the oil until it reaches about 350-375 degrees F. Drop a few rolls at a time and fry for about 3 minutes for the smaller pieces (those with rice paper) and about 4-5 minutes for the larger rolls (those with spring roll wrappers). Remove the rolls onto clean paper towels or a strainer.

fried rolls with a rice paper

seafood and meat filling

Seafood and Meat Filling (makes about 1 lb and 12 oz)

Ingredients:

8 oz crab meat
6 oz shrimp, chopped
4 oz ground pork (may substitute with chicken, turkey or another meat)
2 oz uncooked green crab roe, rinsed, strained out liquid
5 oz water chestnuts (may substitute with taro or jicama), chopped
1 carrot, peeled, grated and squeezed out liquid
1 scallion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 oz bean thread noodles (cellophane noodles), soaked in warm water about 15-20 minutes or until soft, squeezed out liquid
2 Tbsp dried wood ear fungus, soaked in warm water about 15-20 minutes or until soft, squeezed out liquid
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2-3 garlic cloves, smashed, minced
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Sprinkles of onion powder
Sprinkles of garlic powder

Method:

In a large bowl add crab meat, shrimp, pork, crab roe, water chestnuts, carrot, scallion, bean thread noodles, black fungus, onion, garlic (both fresh and powder) and season with fish sauce, chicken stock powder, sugar, salt and black pepper. Mix all ingredients until everything has incorporated evenly. Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Vietnamese seasoned fish sauce

Every Vietnamese home has this house-made dipping sauce. This sauce should have a balance of saltiness, sweetness and tartness. The saltiness comes from fish sauce, sweetness from sugar, and the tartness from either vinegar, lime or lemon juice. Some people like it spicy. Some like it very sweet. If you are one of these people then load up on the chili peppers or extra sugar. Mine tends to be on the sour side. Typically I make my sauce with the same ingredients as my mother's as it is more versatile and has longer shelf life. She usually makes huge jars of sauce (to give to my siblings and me) and does not add garlic, chilies or water and her sauce can last for months to over a year. She omits chilies so everyone can eat it. When we scoop some from the jar to eat we have a preference to add finely chopped chili and garlic. Most people I know including my mother make this without a recipe and they always come out consistent every time. Feel free to adjust your seasoning according to your preference. If you find this sauce to be too strong then dilute it with a little water or fresh coconut water.

Vietnamese Seasoned Fish Sauce--makes about 3/4 cup

Ingredients:

1 small carrot, shredded (about 1/2 cup shredded)
3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, smashed, finely chopped (optional)
1-2 chilies, finely chopped (optional)

Method:

Mix carrot, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce and adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Add garlic and chilies if interested.

roasted unsalted peanuts

Roasted Peanuts  

Ingredients:

Raw peanuts (with or without the skin), shells removed

Method:

Preheat a toaster oven to 300 degrees. Place peanuts on a baking sheet. Bake the peanuts for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent burning.

OR

Roast the peanuts (in a small frying pan without oil) over medium heat on a stove top. Use a pair of chopsticks or spatula and move the peanuts around until they are golden brown. Once the peanuts are roasted and cooled, lightly crush them with your palms to remove the skin. When you are ready to eat coursely crush them.

Helpful Hints:

*You may substitute water chestnuts for jicama or taro. I actually prefer jicama or taro but the fresh ones are difficult to find in New Hampshire. For this recipe I use canned water chestnuts. You may substitute dried wood ear fungus (also known as cloud ear fungus or tree ear fungus) for another dried mushrooms. I find that the dried mushrooms tend to have more earthy flavor and meaty texture than the fresh ones. You may substitute ground pork for chicken, turkey or another meat
*Cut the rehydrated bean thread noodles into 1/2 inch lengths. If your mushrooms have not been sliced then rehydrate a whole one, slice thinly and cut into 1/2 inch lengths.
*It is best to remove excess liquid by squeezing the shredded carrots, bean thread noodles, and mushrooms. The extra liquid will make the rolls soggy which is not ideal for deep frying. If possible it is best to use fresh ingredients and not canned or frozen.
*Unlike the spring roll wrappers, when deep fried, the rice papers will not turn golden brown.

Grilled Oysters

The other day our friends/neighbors Jim and Karen invited a few of us over to their house for a cookout on their deck. Luckily I was able to purchase a bag of fresh oysters from my local market. I made shooters on the half shell (minus the crab meat) with most of them, adding just a little cocktail sauce, a squeeze of lime, a dash of hot sauce and vodka. Everyone seemed to really enjoyed them. Our friend/neighbor Carlos gave me a nice compliment when he tells me they tasted as good as in any high-end restaurants. My husband tells me they tasted good, even better and easier to eat than the shooters in a glass that I made a few posts earlier. He thinks everything blended well when they are on the half shell. A few of them did not have any of their natural liquid in them so I added olive oil, minced onion and vodka and grilled them. In Vietnam people often grill (using charcoal) shellfish by adding chopped scallion or green onion and oil.

This time I am inspired to grill some oysters to use up some of my beautiful coral color green crab roe. I was able to gather 3 bags of fresh oysters from my local market. We invited our friends/neighbors Inge and Marshall over for a little last minute grill on our shady deck despite 90+ F outside. We ate most of the oysters fresh with a little lime juice and I saved the rest to experiment on the grill. On a few of the grilled ones I added fresh hot chili peppers for a little kick since Marshall and I like spicy food. The secret to spicy foods is that it helps you sweat and cool you down! The garlic, shallots and chili peppers came from my parents' garden. Inge brought over a few different opened bottles of chilled white wine and I chose the Chardonnay to drizzle over the oysters. You may use whichever type of alcohol you prefer or have at home. Here is the recipe.

these oysters are prepared and ready to place on the grill

grilling oysters

Grilled Oysters

Ingredients:

8 oysters with liquid
1 blade of fresh scallion (green parts only), chopped or cut with scissors
1 garlic clove, grated or smashed and minced
1/2 medium sized shallot, minced
Cooked green crab roe (use as much or as little as you prefer or have)
Hot chili pepper, deseeded and chopped
About 1 Tbsp oil (I prefer either canola or olive)
About 3 Tbsp white wine (or another type of alcohol such as sake, rum, tequila or vodka)

Method:

Shuck the oysters and remove/discard any shell bits. Add a little chopped scallion, garlic and shallot. Add some of the crab roe. May add a little chili pepper if interested. Drizzle with a little oil and white wine (about 1 teaspoon of wine for each oyster). Grill until they are cooked to your preference. Use tongs to carefully remove the oysters from the grill.

oysters on the half shell with a squeeze of lime
(aka naked oysters)

Oyster on the Half Shell

After making the Oyster and Crab Shooter I realized that I cannot gulp it down since the vodka is too strong for me. I have to trust my husband's opinion when he tells me they are tasty. While making oyster on the half shell I came up with the idea to make something similar but instead of vodka I used sake, a more mild alcohol. 

Anyone can shuck oysters. Initially you may be slow but over time you will improve and gain speed. I know this because I am probably the slowest shucker out there. In the last few weeks after shucking several dozen I noticed that my skills have improved greatly. I purchased these beautiful oysters at my local market. They came from Duxbury, Massachusetts.

If you are interested in learning more about the European green crabs you may find marine ecologist Dr. Emily Grason's talk educational and helpful. She gave an excellent webinar on how they impact our environment negatively and also how to properly identify them. Please check out this link, First Detector Training Webinar: Capturing invasive European green crab at the earliest stages of invasion

oyster on the half shell

oyster on the half shell

Oyster on the Half Shell

Ingredients:

Fresh oysters, washed well
Cocktail sauce (commercial or home-made)
Sriracha sauce
Green crab meat and roe (see How to Remove the Meat and Roe From a Cooked Crab link)
Sake (whichever brand you prefer to drink)

Method:

Shuck the oysters, avoid spilling the juice. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of cocktail sauce and 1-2 drops of Sriracha sauce on each oyster. Add about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crab meat (and roe if you have any) on top and drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon of sake over each oyster.

my husband prefers a little squeeze of lime on top

Open-Face Dumplings (Siu Mai)

This special open-face dumplings or síu mại dish is made in loving memory of my dear late grandmother who passed away at age 98 on January 31, 2018. She was an amazing woman, petite but very energetic and strong mentally and physically--still working after age 97! A few days before I left Vietnam I was weighing my luggage for the plane. She was interested in knowing her weight and as quickly as she said it she was sitting on the scale with both feet up, and asking me to read the number! 

My mother and I last made these dumplings for my grandmother on one of our visits to Vietnam--it would be the last time that I saw her in person. The pre-made dumpling dough or dumpling skin was not available for purchase so we made our skin from scratch. We also did not have a pasta maker so we rolled the skin using a rolling pin. A pasta maker can make the thin skin quickly and without much effort. Nowadays if you live in the US you can easily purchase the skin at your local market. 

my 97 year old grandmother
with the síu mại ready to be cooked
(January 2017, Vietnam)

my grandmother--weighed 27.5 kilograms!
(Vietnam, 2015)

For this particular recipe I add a few extra ingredients which were not available when we made these for my grandmother--wild harvested local scallops, green crab roe and the porcini mushroom powder. The roe is delicious but also makes these dumplings look attractive. If you prefer less roe then use 1 ounce and about 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce. I want to thank Jamie Bassett, owner of Green Crab Nation (volume supplier of green crab) for the green crab roe. You may omit the porcini mushroom powder if it is not available or use another type of dried mushroom such as shiitake.

Recently my husband and I took a short trip to Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire for an impressive view of the works of an American sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. In Claremont we stopped for a quick bite and I purchased the porcini mushroom powder along with a few other small spice bags from Claremont Spice & Dry Goods. Owners David and Ingrid Lucier run this store and they are unique in selling small quantity, high quality spices at a very reasonable price. David tells us that his entire spice inventory has a shelf life of 3 months. Sorry, no mail order! 

place approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of the skin,
press the side of the top part of the skin inward to make pleats
(photo courtesy of my husband, Paul Huibers)

gently drop the dumpling on the working surface a few times
to let the dumpling sit with a sturdy base
(photo courtesy of my husband, Paul Huibers)

garnish the dumpling with the toppings
(photo courtesy of my husband, Paul Huibers)

cooked open-face dumplings (síu mại)

Open-Face Dumplings (Síu Mại)--makes about 22 dumplings

Ingredients:

1 Wonton and Síu Mại Dumpling Skins (see recipe below)
1 Síu Mại Filling (see recipe below)
1 Seasoned Cooked Green Crab Caviar (see recipe below)

Method:

Fill the middle of a skin with approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling. Press the side of the top part of the skin inward to make pleats. Gently drop the dumpling on your working surface a few times to let the dumpling sits with a sturdy base. Repeat until all of your dumplings are done. Garnish with the toppings. Steam 8-10 minutes preferably in a bamboo steamer. Be sure to line the bottom of your steamer with either parchment paper, banana leaf, or napa cabbage leaves. I cut a piece of parchment paper and made small holes to allow the steam to flow through during cooking.

May dip these dumplings in soy sauce with or without additional chili pepper, hot mustard, chili oil or your own special dipping. I prefer Maggi brand Seasoning (sauce) made in Germany for the flavor and Chiu Chow Chili Oil. These may be purchase at an Asian market.

mixed síu mại filling--ready to mince or puree

pureed síu mại filling--ready to be used

Síu Mại Filling (makes about 13 oz)

Ingredients:

4 oz ground pork
4 oz shrimp, roughly chopped
4 oz sea scallop, roughly diced
2 Tbsp shallot, minced
1/2 tsp grated garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp chopped scallion
1/2 tsp porcini mushroom powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 roasted white peppercorns, crushed into powder (about 1/8 tsp ground or crushed)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 large egg white, whisked
1 tsp cornstarch

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients well. Use a food processor to puree a few times to blend everything together. If you do not have a food process you can use a large knife or cleaver to hand chop everything to blend. Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

dumpling dough

 start cutting to size

I try to prevent waste!

twenty eight 3-inch round skins

Wonton and Síu Mại Dumpling Skin (8 oz skin, makes about twenty-four to twenty-eight 3-inch round skins)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 large egg
2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp hot water
Cornstarch (to prevent the skin from sticking to each other)

Method:

Whisk or sift all-purpose flour, salt and turmeric powder. Add egg and incorporate it into the flour. Slowly add a tablespoon of water at a time to bind everything together. The dough should not be too sticky or too dry. Knead for about 5 minutes, wrap it in plastic or cover with a damp towel and let it rest for about an hour. May keep sealed up in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to use let it rest at room temperature and knead for about 5 minutes.

Hand Roll:
Divide the dough into 4 (each piece should be about 2 ounces). Roll each piece into a log. Cut each log into 6-7 pieces. Flatten a piece with your palm and roll the edges using a rolling pin. Use a drinking glass or a round dough cutter to cut out the skin. Dust each side of the skin with cornstarch to prevent them from sticking to each other. Keep the skin cover. If the dough gets too dry add a little egg yolk or water to moisten it.

Pasta Maker:
Pass the dough through the pasta maker at the largest setting 2 times, change to a medium setting and pass it 2 times, change to the thinnest setting that you like and pass it 2 times. Cut and dust with cornstarch to prevent the skin from sticking to one another. Keep the skin cover.

cooked green crab caviar

seasoned cooked green crab caviar

Seasoned Cooked Green Crab Caviar (toppings)

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil (or any types you prefer)
1/2 tsp shallot, minced
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp grated garlic
2 oz cooked green crab roe
1/2 tsp fish sauce (nước mắm)

Method:

Saute shallot, ginger, garlic in hot oil for about 30 seconds. Avoid burning the garlic. Add crab roe and saute about 30 seconds. Season with fish sauce, stir and turn off heat.

Green Crab Golden Pate

The green crab population is exploding in New England, all the way up to coastal Canada. I believe this is not publicly known. If people knew that they could be easily trapped or harvested and eaten, then I am convinced it will certainly make a dent in their population. Only recently I have learned about them. I am sure there are people like me who have an interest and find great pleasure in feasting on pests or invasive species--does not matter if they walk, hop, crawl, slither, swim, jump or fly!

In June 2016 I started to harvest, cook and eat these green crabs. Sadly for me my harvests were few. I often did not venture out specifically to search for them. I generally go out at low tide along the coast (of New Hampshire) to harvest periwinkles and sea vegetables (or seaweed). When I turn over rocks or seaweed I would be lucky to find a few small ones to take home. The ones I found so far had relatively soft shells so I was able to fry up the entire crabs and eat them whole. The first time I found 3 crabs I made crispy fried green crabs on a bed of simple relish. It was tasty but the meal was too small--not enough to feed even a small child.
 
I recently attended a 2-day "Green Crab Working Summit 2018" held in Portland, Maine as a consumer. The conference was excellent--full of practical information and education. I did not think I would blog again but the summit was motivating and inspiring--made me realize that I should definitely eat more green crabs and promote others to eat them too! As I plan to eat and cook them regularly I would like to put my ideas and recipes in writing--to personally document my food. One of my brothers asked me how many recipes can I come up with for green crabs? I honestly do not know the answer but what I know is that the more crabs that are accessible to me the more cooking, creating and eating I will do in my kitchen!

I met many wonderful people at the summit including Jamie Bassett, owner of Green Crab Nation (volume supplier of green crab) who gave me a large bag of boiled female green crabs and a pound bag of already picked green crab roe. I must say I was thrilled and grateful to receive them. Jamie warned me that the bag of roe was previously frozen and thawed so it needed to be eaten within a day. I rushed home and immediately made this pate with the roe. The ingredients used in this recipe are similar to the monkfish liver pate that I made a few years ago. Initially I used 1/3 cup of heavy cream but then added a total of 3/4 cup to this pate to make it more moist. The final result is tasty, not as briny as the monkfish liver pate. I called this "golden" for the color and because the roe is as precious as gold. If you have to hand pick the roe from these 2-3 inch crabs yourself you will quickly understand how labor intensive it can be.

We definitely need to work together, and spread the word to the public that eating green crabs is a delicious and nutritious way to help save our coast, including our local soft-shell bivalves, crustaceans, eelgrass and salt marshes.

I encourage you to eat more green crabs!

Green Crab Golden Pâté (makes about 3 cups)

Ingredients:

1 beef marrow bone (about 15 oz) or about 1/3 cup partially cooked marrow
1 Tbsp canola oil (may use another vegetable oil of your choice)
1 shallot, finely minced (about 1/3 cup)
4 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 Tbsp)
About 1/2 thumb sized fresh ginger, grated (about 2 tsp)
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 lb cooked green crab roe, removed and discarded any non-roe parts
2 Tbsp sake
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp fish sauce (nước mắm)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp freshly roasted and ground white pepper

Method:

Place the beef bone marrow in a small pot, add enough water to just submerge the bone. Boil for about 5-7 minutes (depending on the size of the bone) or until the marrow can easily be removed from the bone. Use a chopstick to poke the marrow, if it goes through then you will have no trouble removing it. Remove the marrow once it is cool enough to handle and set aside.

If you are using whole white peppercorns, roast them in a pan over medium high heat for about a minute to enhance the flavor. Grind or crush the peppercorns once cooled and set aside. I have a small coffee grinder that I use strictly for herbs and spices.

In a medium-sized pan heat oil and marrow in medium-high heat. Saute shallot about a minute or until it is soft. Add garlic, ginger, and green onions and saute about a minute, avoid burning the garlic. Add roe, wine, and heavy cream. Adjust heat as needed during cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes to cook off the wine and to reduce some of the liquid. Season with fish sauce, sugar and ground pepper and cook for about another minute. Once the contents cool slightly pour everything into a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. May use the pate immediately, seal and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in a sealed container in a freezer for up to a month.

How to use this Green Crab Golden Pâté

There are many ways to use this Green Crab Golden Pâté--let your imagination and hunger guide you. I post a few photos to show that you can make simple delicious appetizers or snacks with just the spread of the pate or you can use it as a base or part of a base. For the appetizers (pictured below) I use ingredients that I have available in my kitchen and deck--smoked salmon, tomatoes, marinated anchovies in oil, pickled Chinese onions, capers, grated lime zests, dill, mint, chives and chive flowers.

1 pound of already picked green crab roe

ingredients for making green crab golden pâté

pick out and discard the non-crab roe parts
whenever you see them during cooking

saute the pâté

cook off the wine and reduce some of the liquid

give a few pulses in a food processor to blend

be sure to remove all the delicious pâté

Addendum:
After making this pâté I realized a pound of roe is quite unrealistic to obtain for most people. The recipe below has been adjusted to about 4 ounce of green crab roe.

Green Crab Golden Pâté (makes about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp beef marrow
1 tsp oil
1  Tbsp minced shallot or onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped green parts of scallion
1 tsp grated fresh garlic
1/4 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 oz cooked green crab roe, removed and discarded any non-roe parts
1 tsp sake (may also use drinking white wine or sherry)
2 Tbsp milk (may also use heavy cream, half and half)
1 tsp fish sauce (nước mắm)--preferably the Three Crabs brand or another good fish sauce brand)
A pinch of sugar
A pinch of ground white pepper

Method:

Place the beef bone marrow in a small pot, add enough water to just submerge the bone. Boil for about 5-7 minutes (depending on the size of the bone) or until the marrow can easily be removed from the bone. Use a chopstick to poke the marrow, if it goes through then you will have no trouble removing it. Remove the marrow once it is cool enough to handle and set aside.

If you are using whole white peppercorns, roast them in a pan over medium high heat for about a minute to enhance the flavor. Grind or crush the peppercorns once cooled and set aside. I have a small coffee grinder that I use strictly for herbs and spices.

In a medium-sized pan heat marrow and oil over medium-high heat. Saute shallot or onion, green scallions, garlic, and ginger about a minute or until the shallot or onion is soft, avoid burning the garlic. Add roe, wine, and milk. Adjust heat as needed during cooking. Season with fish sauce, sugar and ground pepper. Cook for about 4-5 minutes to cook off the wine and to reduce some of the liquid. Once the contents cool slightly pour everything into a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. May use the pate immediately, seal and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in a sealed container in a freezer for up to a month.