View Full Version : shore crabs
I know that shore are supposed to be inedible . Is this due to the size of them ie to fiddly to extract the meat or some other reason ? I have seen in the french markets some black ? crabs of a similar size. or can they be used in a seafood soup/stew . ilan
If by Shore crab you mean the green fast running ones (Carcinus maenas): yes, they're excellent but more of a snack than a meal. Very tasty but little meat. The French eat them but generally don't bother to bring them to market, except if they'" BBBig'unes.
The bigger purple hairy swimming crab (Portunus puber, sorry, don't know the English name) called étrille in French is considered an even greater delicacy. These are often sold alive in France. But apart from a snack, both can be turned into soup.
Recipe: water, veggies to your choice, salt pepper. Boil. Add crabs. Boil 30 mins. Crush or put into the blender. Sieve. Press the carapaces in the sieve to extract all the perfumes. Enjoy.
If you find the hairy whitish/blueish woolhand crabs (in estuaries or Freshwater): sell them to your chinese shop and buy lobster with the money you got from them
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.The bigger purple hairy swimming crab (Portunus puber, sorry, don't know the English name) called étrille in French is considered an even greater delicacy. These are often sold alive in France
I know them as velvet's or fiddlers.
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falling rain
27-06-2006, 10:38
Carcinus maenas - Shore or Green crabs are edible ('maenas' meaning frenzied due to the way these bighters act when caught they put up an aggressive fight) they can be used in soups and arn't really worth the bother of cooking for their meat. There are other edible crabs such as the hermit crab which can be grilled in the shell as it comes. Also spider or spiny crabs can be eaten and treated the same as the Edible/common crab - Information from North Atlantic Seafood - Alan Davidson (which is a fantastic book by the way and highly recommended if you like seafood and fish) - lots of recipes at the back from Norway Sweden, Spain,Germany, Britain, USA,Portugal, France etc
hi thanks for the information The shore crabs are a problem when fishing in some areas .