Crab Imperial & Poke

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Diane Clements of Melbourne, Australia for this one:

Leo had an awful day fishing on the lake, sitting in the blazing sun all
day without catching a single one. On his way home he stopped at the
supermarket and ordered four whiting. He told the fish salesman, "Pick
four large ones out and throw them at me, will you?"

"Why do you want me to throw them at you?"

"Because I want to tell my wife that I caught them."

"Okay, but I suggest that you take the snapper."

"But why?"

"Because your wife came in earlier today and said that if you came by, I
should tell you to take snapper. She prefers that for dinner tonight."

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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Crabmeat served in a creamy sauce goes by many names and can be found
all over the country. I think you will find this version fairly
representative of the way the dish is done in the area of Chesapeake Bay.

Crab Imperial

1 lb (450 g) lump or backfin crabmeat, picked over to remove pieces of shell and cartilage
4 Tbs (60 ml) melted butter
1 Tbs (15 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
2 Tbs (30 ml) chopped pimiento
2 Tbs (30 ml) chopped capers
A few drops hot sauce, or to taste

For the topping:
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup (80 ml) mayonnaise
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped parsley
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp (2 ml) Old Bay seasoning or paprika

Combine the crabmeat, melted butter, and lemon juice in a bowl and toss
gently to coat the crabmeat. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce,
pimiento, and capers in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add to the
crabmeat mixture and toss gently. Divide the crab mixture between 4 to 6
small gratin dishes or ramekins and bake in a preheated 375F (190C) oven
until the mixture bubbles, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together
the ingredients for the topping. Remove the dishes from the oven and
divide the topping among them. Place under a preheated broiler and cook
until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 4 to 6.

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In Hawaii you will likely see this dish called "ahi poke," (AH-hee
POE-kay) with "ahi" being the Hawaiian word for "tuna," and "poke"
meaning "to cut up" or "to slice." Traditionally the dish consisted of
little more than chopped raw fish with maybe a little seaweed and salt
for flavoring, but nowadays any of a variety of ingredients can be added
for flavor and texture, as my recipe indicates.

Poke

Basic poke:
1 lb (450 g) high quality raw tuna, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce, or to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil, or to taste
1-2 scallions (spring onions), green part only, finely chopped

Optional seasonings:
1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs (15 ml) oyster sauce
1 Tbs (15 ml) toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped daikon
2 Tbs (30 ml) finely chopped macadamia nuts
2 Tbs (30 ml) finely chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
Garlic chile sauce or other hot sauce to taste

Combine the tuna with the soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, and any of
the optional ingredients and toss to combine. Serve immediately or
refrigerate for no more than 2 hours.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Jul 23 09:53:33 2007