2011/2012 Dungeness Crab Season has been rated the best in years. Local Crabs are filled with large chunks of flavor-filled sweet meat. In 2010 over 19 million pound was pulled in from the Sea and the 2011/2012 season is expected to pull-in the same amount.
Crab meat is low in saturated fat, and contains quantities of Chromium, an important mineral to the body which helps increase the level of HDL, the good cholesterol. Higher levels of good Cholesteral helps reduce the risk for strokes and heart disease. In fact, Dungeness Crabs contain sterol, which restricts the absorption of total cholesterol eaten during a meal. Crab is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids which reduce the number of sticky blood platelets in the blood stream, giving elasticity to the blood and creating smooth blood flow in tiny arteries.
My holiday tradition is fresh crab, ripe brie cheese, and a very nice Napa Valley, California Reserve Brut champagne. Crab cakes are in are a second favorite and the following recipe comes straight out of my personal cookbook. I hope you enjoy the opportunity to try west coast Dungeness Crab. If not canned products can be used with great success.
Gluten Free San Francisco Crab Cakes
1/2 lb fresh Crab or 2 six ounce cans of crab
1 Shallot minced
1 Teaspoon Whorsteshire Sauce
1 Teaspoon Mustard
3/4 cup bread crumbs of your choice
3 Eggs
1 T Butter
4 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mince Shallot and saute in Butter
Beat 3 Eggs, add Crab, Mustard, Whorsteshire, Salt and Pepper, Bread Crumbs and cooled shallots.
Stir gentle and form into palm-size rounds
Heat Olive Oil in a shallow pan
Add crab cakes to the oil, cook until brown but be careful not to over cook
Enjoy!
