Abaco's Cooking!

June 2000 Table of Contents

ABACO'S COOKING!

Here's the recipe for Crab & Rice we promised you last month.

CRAB & RICE

3 white Land Crabs
3 or 4 strips Bacon, diced
1/2 Onion, finely sliced
1 tsp Thyme
1 stalk Celery, diced
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 cups Rice
2 cups Water
Salt & Pepper

Remove the large biters (claws) by tapping them sharply close to the body with the back of a large knife. Crack the claws with a mallet. Pull the bodies from the backs of the crabs and remove the fat from the shells and around the bodies, putting it in a small dish. Take care not to puncture the gall bladder while doing this. If you have a gravid female, add the orange egg sacs to the fat. Wash the body after removing the apron and gills, then throw them away with the shells.

Render the bacon in a heavy pot over gentle heat then add the onion and celery. When the onion is translucent, add the tomato paste and blend it in. Add the crab fat, cracked biters, bodies, salt, pepper and thyme and cook for a few minutes longer, stirring often. Pour in the water, bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and put the lid on the pot. When the water comes back to the boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the rice without removing the lid for 20 minutes, then turn off heat. Allow the rice to stand, still covered, for at least another 10 minutes

The Crab & Rice can be made a day ahead and allowed to come to room temperature before refrigerating overnight. Allow the rice to warm to room temperature next day then heat it gently until warm through. Many Bahamians claim that Crab & Rice made a day ahead has much more flavour.

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