Stuffed Soft Crabs Maryland Style

I love Maryland seafood.  There are so many delicious varieties in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.  I feel lucky to have grown up in a region with, what I consider, the best seafood in the world. You may ask whether I have had all the seafood in the world and I'd have to say "no." Nevertheless, that's what I think and I'm sticking with it.

It's coming up on soft-shell crab season in May. I haven't tried this particular soft shell crab recipe yet, however, it won't be long before I do.  I love soft crabs and stuffing them with crab meat sounds so delicious.  I just hadn't thought of this.  It looks so easy and that's what I like--Food that is simple, easy and delicious.  Found this recipes in one of my Maryland Seafood Booklets.

12 medium Maryland soft crabs, cleaned
1 pound Maryland backfin crabmeat
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

Dry soft crabs with paper towels.
Remove all cartilage from crab meat.
Place soft crabs in shallow baking pan.
Remove top shell from crabs and stuff each
crab cavity with about 3 tablespoons
crabmeat. Replace top shell. Melt butter
and pour evenly over crabs. Bake at 400°F
until shells turn red and crabs are slightly
brown, about 15 minutes. Serves 6.

7 Seafood Handling Tips for your Family's Safely During the Hot Seasons

It's almost that time of year again.  We are fast coming upon the spring and summer hot seasons.  We cook in our kitchens or on outdoor grills to eat outside. We'll take foods with us to distant locations.   We also do more fishing than during the winter, have family crab feasts and attend neighborhood "fish frys."  I think we eat and cook lots more fish, oysters and crabs to be eaten outdoors here in the Chesapeake Bay area than at any other time of year. 

So we need to be aware that there are dangers involved if we are not careful about protecting our foods from spoiling.; especially seafood.  I have assembled some safety tips for keeping your seafood safe for everyone to enjoy during the spring and summer time.

1. Always make sure to wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling raw seafood.  As a food handler, 20 seconds was required.  Singing the Happy Birthday song twice takes 20 seconds and should be standard practice anytime you cook raw seafood, even as a home cook.

2. Do not leave any seafood out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, including preparation time and time on the table.

3. It is always the best practice to defrost seafood in the refrigerator or under cold running water and not on the kitchen counter.  You can use the microwave method, although I only use this in an extreme emergency.*

*Even in an emergency, I prefer using cold or lukewarm water in a bowl or plastic bag and massaging the fish often to break through the ice.  (It may take a bit more effort on your part; and your hands do get cold; however, I notice that the microwave will actually cook parts of the fish, so in essence, it hasn't saved anything.)

4.  This tip is extremely important.  Never, ever put cooked food on the same plate  you used for the raw seafood.

5. Similarly, don't ever put cooked crabs in the same basket that came with the live crabs.

6. When you're marinating fish or shellfish, do it in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Throw away the marinade after use.

7. Make sure you wash all containers, utensils, knives, plates, cutting boards and other surfaces touched by raw seafood with hot soapy water before reusing them.

5 Tips for Fish and Seafood Made Easy

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Today, I am sharing a few fish and seafood tips I have learned through many years of cooking.  Having grown up on the Severn River in Annapolis, off the Chesapeake Bay, my roots are "grounded," or should I say "watered." by the food that came from my environment.  In terms of food, my first love is seafood, including the many varieties of fish we find. 

Tip #1.  Preparing and cooking seafood is not difficult.  This is a common misperception that has kept many a home cook from attempting to prepare a quick and sumptuous meal.

Tip #2.  In general, fish and seafood should never be overcooked.  Because of its delicate nature, seafood will become rubbery or dry or even tough.  Seafood is at its best when cooked quickly.  There are exceptions, of course; as when we make crabmeat, scallop and shrimp quiche or the rich tomato-laced Italian stew, cioppino or fish curry or Louisiana gumbo.

Tip #3.  Be creative.  Go beyond macaroni and tuna salad. Mix flavors and textures using pasta and rice with seafood.  Cook spinach bow tie pasta with mushrooms, peas, canned tuna or salmon and cream for a change.

Tip #4.  Use a combination of seasonings you would ordinarily use to rub on chicken or meat to spice up your fish steaks or fillets.  Cook in a hot oiled skillet, like cast iron, for 3-5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of each steak or fillet.

Tip #5.  Combine 1/2 cup Panko flakes with 1 cup yellow cornmeal and Cajun seasonings for extra crispy and light fried fish fillets.

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