Non-VegetarianEast Anglian cuisine Starters

Cromer Crab Dressed Whole

Name: Cromer Crab Dressed Whole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: East Anglian
Ingredients: 2 whole whole fresh cromer crabs; 50 g sea salt; 30 g fresh white breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice; 0.5 tsp ground white pepper; 0.25 tsp Cayenne pepper; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 tbsp Mayonnaise; 4 wedges Lemon wedges

Sweet, delicate North Norfolk Cromer crab, carefully picked and presented in its cleaned shell with rich brown meat and fluffy white meat.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· East of England

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 240 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

2 whole whole fresh cromer crabs — around 500g each, cooked or live
50 g sea salt — for cooking water
30 g fresh white breadcrumbs — finely grated
2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice — freshly squeezed
½ tsp ground white pepper — to season
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper — for gentle heat
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
2 tbsp Mayonnaise — for serving alongside
4 wedges Lemon wedges — to garnish

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Nutcracker or rolling pin
•Crab pick or skewer
•Small mixing bowls
•Kitchen brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 240 kcal
fat: 8 g
carbs: 12 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 28 g
calories: 240 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil over a high hob.
2
Submerge whole crabs carefully and simmer for twelve minutes until the shells turn bright orange.
3
Lift crabs out and plunge them into iced water until completely cool to touch.
4
Twist off claws and legs, crack them with a rolling pin, and pick out all white meat.
5
Prise the main body away from the hard carapace (top shell) using your thumbs.
6
Discard the grey, feathery dead man's fingers (gills) and the small stomach sac behind the eyes.
7
Scoop all soft brown meat from the carapace into a small mixing bowl.
8
Scrub the carapace shell thoroughly inside and out under running water and dry completely.
9
Mix the brown meat with breadcrumbs, half the lemon juice, white pepper, and cayenne.
10
Season the picked white meat gently with the remaining lemon juice and sea salt.
11
Press the savoury brown meat along both outer edges of the cleaned shell.
12
Fill the centre neatly with sweet white meat, scatter with parsley, and serve chilled.

Chef's tips

Take your time picking the leg and body cartilage to ensure no sharp shell fragments end up in the white meat. If using pre-cooked crabs, skip the boiling steps and start directly by opening the shell. Keep the picked meat thoroughly chilled until you are ready to assemble.

Ingredient substitutions

fresh white breadcrumbs → gluten-free breadcrumbs or mashed hard-boiled egg yolk
Cromer crab → any fresh brown crab (Cancer pagurus)

Storage

Store dressed crab covered in the refrigerator and eat within twenty-four hours.

Reheating

Serve dressed crab chilled or at room temperature; do not reheat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Failing to remove the bitter grey gill fingers before picking meat
•Smashing claws too aggressively, which splinters shell into the meat
•Over-seasoning the delicate white meat and masking its natural sweetness

Serving suggestions

Thick slices of buttered wholemeal brown breadCrisp English garden salad with cucumber and radishesChilled glass of dry Norfolk cider or English sparkling wine