Discussion:
Crabs from Lidl
(too old to reply)
2007-02-13 20:51:26 UTC
Permalink
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?

Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)

Cheers
Waldo Centini
2007-02-13 22:12:05 UTC
Permalink
Chris.L surprised us with
Subject: Crabs from Lidl
GP?
--
··· Waldo ···
Anything not nailed down is mine. Anything I can pry loose is
not nailed down.
Alan Holmes
2007-02-14 13:50:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
There could be a problem with uncooked crabs, in that the blighters would
not stand still!

Further, how would oyu cook them?
Post by
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Thaw, remove the claws and centre part, not forgeting to dispose of the
poisonous bits, and yes there are poisonous bits on crabs, clear out the
shell and put it to one side, crack all the legs and remove the meat, making
sure you don't leave any of the bits of hard stuff in the crab meat, mix it
together with the stuff removed from the shell, apply vinegar, butter bread,
and put crab meat into a sandwich, eat and enjoy.

Alan
Post by
Cheers
Alan Holmes
2007-02-15 18:06:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Holmes
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
There could be a problem with uncooked crabs, in that the blighters would
not stand still!
Further, how would oyu cook them?
Post by
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Thaw, remove the claws and centre part, not forgeting to dispose of the
poisonous bits, and yes there are poisonous bits on crabs, clear out the
shell and put it to one side, crack all the legs and remove the meat,
making sure you don't leave any of the bits of hard stuff in the crab
meat, mix it together with the stuff removed from the shell, apply
vinegar, butter bread, and put crab meat into a sandwich, eat and enjoy.
Alan
Post by
Cheers
Alan Holmes
2007-02-15 18:08:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
Forgot to ask, was it a 'dresed' crab, if it was you have been swindled, as
they amount of crab you get for your money is nothing like the amount which
was in the crab to start with.

Alan
J***@underthewagon.org
2007-02-14 19:18:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
<SNIP>

'Pubic' or 'Seaside'?


Regards
JonH
John Scott
2007-02-14 20:01:00 UTC
Permalink
A prawn on your piano is better than a crab on your organ
Post by J***@underthewagon.org
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
<SNIP>
'Pubic' or 'Seaside'?
Regards
JonH
Sacha
2007-02-15 00:00:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Scott
A prawn on your piano is better than a crab on your organ
Post by J***@underthewagon.org
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
<SNIP>
'Pubic' or 'Seaside'?
Regards
JonH
Goodness me, is it half term already with the dear kiddy winks playing on
Daddy's computer?
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)
Jane Gillett
2007-02-14 10:40:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
The cooking kills them. Otherwise they'd be packaged live and die slowly in
storage (or on freezing - dunno) and that wouldn't be healthy for them or
you. Maybe they'd just slow down in the freezer and revive when you thawed
them. Either of the last two is not a good idea generally for
crabs/lobster/shrimps etc. For mussels, opening and closing at start and end
of cooking are important indicators of the safety for
eating so that would be a H&S issue.
Post by
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Crab's nice just as it is. Main thing you might benefit from is a brief
demo of how to get the right bits out of the shell/claws/legs (difficult to
do over a newsgroup) - but probably they have already done that and just
put the edible meat back in the shell for you.

Good fresh bread, touch of mayonnaise possibly, bit of salad nothing more
needed IMV.

Enjoy
Jane
Post by
Cheers
--
Jane Gillett : ***@higherstert.co.uk : Totnes, Devon.
fishism
2007-02-16 10:58:44 UTC
Permalink
I lke crabs as much as lobster and they are great with mayo or lemon and
bread, however crabs take strong, spicy flavours such as tavasco, worcester
sauce and mustard very well....so how about spicy crabcakes or dressed crab
mornay with a nice mustardy cheese sauce on top?

winston

www.cooksbooks.info
Post by Jane Gillett
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
The cooking kills them. Otherwise they'd be packaged live and die slowly in
storage (or on freezing - dunno) and that wouldn't be healthy for them or
you. Maybe they'd just slow down in the freezer and revive when you thawed
them. Either of the last two is not a good idea generally for
crabs/lobster/shrimps etc. For mussels, opening and closing at start and end
of cooking are important indicators of the safety for
eating so that would be a H&S issue.
Post by
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Crab's nice just as it is. Main thing you might benefit from is a brief
demo of how to get the right bits out of the shell/claws/legs (difficult to
do over a newsgroup) - but probably they have already done that and just
put the edible meat back in the shell for you.
Good fresh bread, touch of mayonnaise possibly, bit of salad nothing more
needed IMV.
Enjoy
Jane
Post by
Cheers
--
Gregoire Kretz
2007-02-16 23:35:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by fishism
I lke crabs as much as lobster and they are great with mayo or lemon and
bread, however crabs take strong, spicy flavours such as tavasco, worcester
sauce and mustard very well....so how about spicy crabcakes or dressed crab
mornay with a nice mustardy cheese sauce on top?
Hmmm... I'm wondering about crab soup, too? It's normally very nice.


Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?

No ficus = no spam
Alan Holmes
2007-02-17 19:54:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Gregoire Kretz
Post by fishism
I lke crabs as much as lobster and they are great with mayo or lemon and
bread, however crabs take strong, spicy flavours such as tavasco, worcester
sauce and mustard very well....so how about spicy crabcakes or dressed crab
mornay with a nice mustardy cheese sauce on top?
Hmmm... I'm wondering about crab soup, too? It's normally very nice.
I heard about that for the first time yesterday, I cannot imagine how one
would make crab soup, or what it would taste like.

I think I would prefer to eat it straight from the shell!

Alan
Gregoire Kretz
2007-02-18 11:37:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Holmes
Post by Gregoire Kretz
Hmmm... I'm wondering about crab soup, too? It's normally very nice.
I heard about that for the first time yesterday, I cannot imagine how one
would make crab soup, or what it would taste like.
Have you had lobster bisque? Imagine the same with crab - delicious.
Basically you make stock, as you would with chicken, but this time with
the empty shells: boil softly for a while with spices, crush the shells
when they've gone soft, boil some more, filter, and finish with cream
and a bit of starch if needed. Epicurians add just a bit of thick tomato
paste, some brandy and a few fresh herbs, before serving with the flesh
minced on top.
There, you've made me drool, hope you're happy! :)
Post by Alan Holmes
I think I would prefer to eat it straight from the shell!
Works very well, too. :)



Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?

No ficus = no spam
fishism
2007-02-17 20:47:20 UTC
Permalink
Crab Soup?
You can make a crab bisque, just like you can a lobster bisque, a pink
creamy soup finished with brandy and cream...the best thing is, is that it's
made with the shells and the flesh is an optional garnish, so you can eat
the flesh then use the shells, claws, legs etc to make your basic stock for
the soup....

Winston

www.cooksbooks.info
Post by Gregoire Kretz
Post by fishism
I lke crabs as much as lobster and they are great with mayo or lemon and
bread, however crabs take strong, spicy flavours such as tavasco, worcester
sauce and mustard very well....so how about spicy crabcakes or dressed crab
mornay with a nice mustardy cheese sauce on top?
Hmmm... I'm wondering about crab soup, too? It's normally very nice.
Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?
No ficus = no spam
Gregoire Kretz
2007-02-18 11:37:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by fishism
Crab Soup?
You can make a crab bisque,
Yes, that's what I meant. :)



Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?

No ficus = no spam
Lyndon
2007-02-14 23:48:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Cheers
If they are lidl crabs, shouldn't you thro them back in?
--
Lyndon
Anne Chambers
2007-02-14 23:55:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lyndon
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Cheers
If they are lidl crabs, shouldn't you thro them back in?
Groan :)
--
Anne Chambers,
South Australia
anne dot chambers at bigpond dot com
Lyndon
2007-02-15 08:34:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Anne Chambers
Post by Lyndon
If they are lidl crabs, shouldn't you thro them back in?
Groan :)
That's ok then. You can eat them when they've groan.
--
Lyndon
Alan Holmes
2007-02-15 18:10:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lyndon
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
Cheers
If they are lidl crabs, shouldn't you thro them back in?
I like lidl crabs, they are easier to deal with than the grown up ones!

Alan
Paul Corfield
2007-02-17 00:13:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Picked up a couple o'frozen pre-cooked crabs from Lidl. £2.99 each.
Seems OK, but why do supermarkets so often insist on pre-cooking
seafood? Is it a health & safety issue?
Just wondering if anyone has any smart ideas as to what to do with
blighters......... :-)
A quick scan of some Asian cookbooks I bought in Singapore reveals

Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.

If any of these interest you I'll type up the recipe. None of these
recipes require soft shell crabs so normal "hard" ones will work.

I can already recommend the Thai Mackerel Salad and Malay Chili Beef
with Onions from these books.
--
Paul C
Gregoire Kretz
2007-02-17 10:32:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul Corfield
A quick scan of some Asian cookbooks I bought in Singapore reveals
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
Tempting. :)
I can imagine adding lemongrass to the crab flesh, and perhaps using it
to stuff some big fish, or even small ones like trouts when you wrap
them around in greaseproof paper and simply put them in a warm oven for
a little while.

The more adventurous could imagine rolling a slim fish, like plaice
maybe, around a crab stuffing, perhaps keeping it all in place with
string, and quickly grilling it on a hot frying pan. If not possible,
simple crêpes should do.
It should also work in a quiche, usually the custard mix is very good at
enhancing and spreading flavours.

So Chris, have you eaten them yet? :)


Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?

No ficus = no spam
fishism
2007-02-17 21:16:17 UTC
Permalink
Greg,

If you use the "skinside inside" technique, when rolling fillets of fish
around a stuffing (a delice), you'll find they are much less likely to
unroll, also placing them in dish where they are quite tightly packed before
poaching or however you cook them, helps...so there's no need for string,
makes presentation beeter too because you get the white flesh on the outside
of the roll instead of the grey brown bits you get under the skin of some
fish....

Winston

www.cooksbooks.info
Post by Gregoire Kretz
Post by Paul Corfield
A quick scan of some Asian cookbooks I bought in Singapore reveals
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
Tempting. :)
I can imagine adding lemongrass to the crab flesh, and perhaps using it
to stuff some big fish, or even small ones like trouts when you wrap
them around in greaseproof paper and simply put them in a warm oven for
a little while.
The more adventurous could imagine rolling a slim fish, like plaice
maybe, around a crab stuffing, perhaps keeping it all in place with
string, and quickly grilling it on a hot frying pan. If not possible,
simple crêpes should do.
It should also work in a quiche, usually the custard mix is very good at
enhancing and spreading flavours.
So Chris, have you eaten them yet? :)
Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?
No ficus = no spam
Gregoire Kretz
2007-02-18 11:37:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by fishism
If you use the "skinside inside" technique, when rolling fillets of fish
around a stuffing (a delice), you'll find they are much less likely to
unroll, also placing them in dish where they are quite tightly packed before
poaching or however you cook them, helps...so there's no need for string,
makes presentation beeter too because you get the white flesh on the outside
of the roll instead of the grey brown bits you get under the skin of some
fish....
Looks very tempting, thanks for the idea. I'll give it a try when I want
to impress guests. :)
(or treat myself)


Greg
--
Have you ever really considered how much your buildings actually weigh?

No ficus = no spam
2007-02-19 21:36:53 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul Corfield
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
If any of these interest you I'll type up the recipe. None of these
recipes require soft shell crabs so normal "hard" ones will work.
Paul,

Thanks mate, this was the kind of thing I was really looking for.....(
although thanks to all who suggested bread & mayo :-) )

Any of the above would be interesting, your choice!

I hadn't considered the boiling/killing aspect before posting. How the
hell else would you kill a crab? ;-) I remember a friend of mine
boiling them alive years ago. My other half isn't really into
shelfish, so it seldom hits the table these days.

They're still in the freezer, although they may be defrosted tomorrow
night...
Alan Holmes
2007-02-19 22:51:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Post by Paul Corfield
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
If any of these interest you I'll type up the recipe. None of these
recipes require soft shell crabs so normal "hard" ones will work.
Paul,
Thanks mate, this was the kind of thing I was really looking for.....(
although thanks to all who suggested bread & mayo :-) )
Any of the above would be interesting, your choice!
I hadn't considered the boiling/killing aspect before posting. How the
hell else would you kill a crab? ;-)
It has to be boiled alive, there is no other way.

Alan
2007-02-20 00:49:54 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:51:23 GMT, "Alan Holmes"
Post by Alan Holmes
Post by
I hadn't considered the boiling/killing aspect before posting. How the
hell else would you kill a crab? ;-)
It has to be boiled alive, there is no other way.
Alan
yes alan, how the hell else would you kill a crab?...
Alan Holmes
2007-02-22 15:44:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by
On Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:51:23 GMT, "Alan Holmes"
Post by Alan Holmes
Post by
I hadn't considered the boiling/killing aspect before posting. How the
hell else would you kill a crab? ;-)
It has to be boiled alive, there is no other way.
Alan
yes alan, how the hell else would you kill a crab?...
I thought you had asked that question once!

Alan

Paul Corfield
2007-02-19 23:04:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by
Post by Paul Corfield
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
If any of these interest you I'll type up the recipe. None of these
recipes require soft shell crabs so normal "hard" ones will work.
Paul,
Thanks mate, this was the kind of thing I was really looking for.....(
although thanks to all who suggested bread & mayo :-) )
Any of the above would be interesting, your choice!
I'm feeling generous - you can have all three, see below. If you cook
any of these do put a post and say what they taste like.

Crabmeat Ball Soup - serves 4, pre time 40 mins, cooking 10 mins

Ingredients

150g minced pork
200g shredded bamboo shoots
65g steamed crabmeat (extracted from crabs weighing about 600g)
2 teaspoons corn starch
2 spring onions finely chopped
11/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1½ litres chicken stock
5 springs of chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon of fried sliced shallots

Method

mix the pork with 70g of bamboo shoots, the crabmeat, cornstarch, spring
onions, ½ teaspn of salt and some pepper.

Divide crabmeat mixture into 12 portions and roll into small balls about
3½ cm in diameter

Bring stock to the boil with remaining salt, 130g of bamboo shoots and
pepper.

Place balls in boiling soup and simmer for 5 mins until balls float on
the surface.

Remove from heat and garnish with coriander and fried shallots


NB - if using tinned bamboo shoots boil for 30 mins in several changes
of water before shredding to get rid of the strong smell (!)
---------------------

Singapore Chilli Crab - serves 4-6, prep time 60 mins, cooking time 20
mins

Ingredients

2kg of live mud crabs
2 tablespoons of oil
6 shallots, diced
6-8 gloves of garlic
3 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger
1-2 birds eye chillis, deseeded and chopped
875ml of chicken stock
4 tablespoons hot bean paste or tau cheo (in effect yellow bean paste
with added chilli)
4 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
125ml tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 3 tablespoons water
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 sprigs of coriander leaves
2 stalks of spring onions
1 loaf of french bread

Chilli Garlic Sauce

6 large finger length red chillis, deseeded
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 cm of fresh ginger, peeled
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water

to make the sauce mix all the ingredients in a blender and set aside.

Method for crabs

If the crabs were alive then freeze for 15-20 mins to immobilise.
(Ensure frozen crabs are fully defrosted given cooking time below)
Halve lengthwise with a heavy cleaver, remove the back and spongey grey
matter. Pull claws free and smash in several places with a cleaver. Cut
half of the body into 2-3 pieces, keeping legs attached.

make chilli sauce as above.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and stir fry garlic, shallots,
ginger, chillis until fragrant, about 3 mins. Add Chilli Ginger Sauce,
chicken stock, bean paste, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, rice wine,
salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for
2 minutes. Add the crabs and simmer uncovered, tossing several times
until cooked, about 10 minutes.

Add cornstarch mix to the sauce and stir until it thickens. Add the eggs
and stir gently until they set, then transfer to a serving dish. Garnish
with coriander leaves and spring onions and serve with french bread on
the side.

--------------------
Black Pepper Sauce Crabs - serves 4, prep time 20 mins, cooking time 15
mins

Ingredients

2-3 fresh medium crabs (1½ kgs)
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
125g chicken stock
1 spring onion

Method

Scrub and rinse the crabs thoroughly. detach the claws from each crab.
Lift off the carapace and discard. Scrape out any roe and discard the
gills. Rinse well, halve the crab with a cleaver and craw the claws with
a mallet.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and stir fry the garlic and black
pepper until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the crabs and stir fry for
2-3 mins, seasoning with salt and sugar. Add chicken stock, mix well and
simmer for 3-5 mins, covering the wok. Finally add the spring onion,
stir well and remove from heat.

Transfer the crabs to a serving plate and serve immediately.
--
Paul C
fishism
2007-02-21 19:20:53 UTC
Permalink
crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans have small brains, between their eyes,
you can kill them buy sticking a knife right through the shell exactly in
that area.....If you want to be humane when you kill them by boiling, use
the biggest pot you have, as when you put your crab in the water it will
cool and they will die slower, therefore a larger quantity of boiling water
will cool less.....

I think one of the above there is the RSPCA approved method nut I can't
remember which....

winston

www.cooksbooks.info
Post by
Post by Paul Corfield
Singapore Chili Crab
Vietnamese Peppered Crab
Crab Meatball soup.
If any of these interest you I'll type up the recipe. None of these
recipes require soft shell crabs so normal "hard" ones will work.
Paul,
Thanks mate, this was the kind of thing I was really looking for.....(
although thanks to all who suggested bread & mayo :-) )
Any of the above would be interesting, your choice!
I hadn't considered the boiling/killing aspect before posting. How the
hell else would you kill a crab? ;-) I remember a friend of mine
boiling them alive years ago. My other half isn't really into
shelfish, so it seldom hits the table these days.
They're still in the freezer, although they may be defrosted tomorrow
night...
Loading...