Sorry, I couldn’t resist that title for the post. :) One of the programs that I do NOT understand why I watch but am always drawn to, are a series on the Discovery Channel I think that features the Alaskan crab boats that risk life and limb to make a potential mini-fortune during a limited crab season. I get seasick easily so just watching this program should make me queasy, but instead, every time I chance upon it, I watch the latest episode… and the storyline is the same, a bunch of hardy rednecks head out to sea to lay hundreds of crab cages wired with bait into the incredibly violent looking frigid waters that somehow are home to the most eerily bizarre looking crabs. Another photo here. And when they catch them, the legs of these creatures are a prized culinary delight…
So I was pleasantly surprised when Edwin, my suki over at Fresh Fields in the Market!Market! complex texted to say they were now carrying Alaskan King Crab legs. I was a bit sceptical, as frozen can’t possibly as good as something fresh, but I decided to try a few anyway. And they were delicious! Just steamed and served with butter and lemon, these meaty crab legs were delicious. They have a sweetish flavor and are incredibly meaty. I’m sure they would be spectacular if fresh from the sea. I served these at a dinner with lots of other food, so we ended up with two whole extra crab legs which we stuck in the fridge overnight…
The next day, we extracted the crab meat and shredded it a bit (note how much bigger the chunks of crabmeat are when compared to local fresh crab meat) and added some mayonnaise, lemon, dill, a touch of mustard, salt and pepper for a quick and simple appetizer. This would also make an extravagant filling for a croissant sandwich with a bit of tomato and some lettuce… The crab legs weren’t cheap at PHP1,300+ a kilo or so, but they yielded an incredible amount of edible meat, so you would have to buy several kilos of local crabs to get an equivalent amount of meat. Edwin, besides being my suki for romaine and other greens, capsicums, asparagus, etc., now carries alaskan king crab, some almost wagyu quality beef, and other goodies. Fresh Field is located in the market area of the mall, near the Ineng’s barbecue stall.
25 Responses
MM, smart word play with the title of the post. When you said ” I was a bit sceptical..” should be skeptical.
Tonito, actually, both are acceptable spellings… though sceptical is a bit older usage. I suppose it’s why either scepticism and skepticism are also acceptable… but thanks, normally I find my spelling is pretty appalling. :)
Thanks for the info, MM. I learned something on April Fool’s Day. I hope I’m not being a “pain”.
Not at all.
I thought “is the title really what I read it to be?” and it was. Clever, MM. =)
That TV show would be “The Deadliest Catch” – I’ve learned that one of the captains (I think it’s boat Cornelia) just died earlier this year due to health complications. They are expensive though but I think I’ll try this recipe. Thanks MM!
oooh! i love it. its something i miss. sometimes, you just have cravings for crab legs, just those. not care about the body. haha how much does it cost though? oh, i am so craving. sadly, its maundy thursday and its probably closed till saturday.
Yummy dish! Naughty title. ;-)
Anne, Phil Harris passed away of a stroke, and his son Jake Harris was jailed on DUI and hit and run charges
yep, love that show too, MM. and yep, it was Captain Phil of the Cornelia Marie that passed away recently. just looking at those gigantic waves makes me nervous at travelling by sea already, but thankully, we don’t have that kind of waves here in the Phils.
crabs… hit me with crabs anytime. lol. love crab meat fillet served on a sizzling plate with vegies. makes me want to go to Pala-Pala and buy crab meat by the “baso”. lol.
Another yummy crab dish! recently had my usual Kani salad so I can just imagine this would be so great as Crab and Mango salad as well, with the Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise! Thanks for your suki referral :)
That is cheap. The price I saw at Costco yesterday was $14.99/lb.
Ang paborito ko sa Deadliest Catch, siyempre, si Sig Hansen ng Northwestern…not so keen on crab salad though, but I would love to try crab meat on very hot pasta.
that was a good deal MM. here in vancouver, alaskan king crabs are currently in season. we have this fave resto in richmond that sells this live crabs (they keep them in a big aquarium) at $9/lb, the smallest you can get is 10 lbs. they cook it mostly 2 ways, one is steamed using the legs while the other is deep fried with rocksalt and chilies (among others). it is sooo good! although you can buy the frozen legs from costco, it is somehow a little diff than the fresh ones you get from the resto. true, the flesh is sweeter than the regular crabs.
sorry for the long comment. we’re heading to that chinese resto again this weekend.
Too bad I’m allergic to shellfish LOL
Wow, there are a lot of “Deadliest Catch” fans right here. I was a crab buyer in Dutch Harbor, Alaska for 12 years so I am very familiar with Alaskan Crabs. You name it, King Crab (red, brown and blue), Snow Crab (opilio and bairdi) and Horsehair Crab yes there’s hair on it and it’s my favorite – juicy and tasty. Hope Silly Lolo will not react to this, remember Holy week ngayon. I also met pretty much all the crab boat captains whenever they offload their catch in Ducth Harbor and St. Paul Island. It was like really crazy when I heard stories/experiences from the “deckhands”. That’s true, Capt. Phil Harris of Cornelia Marie passed away last February. He was a tough skipper and great person. His sons, Josh and Jake will miss him dearly.
@atbnorge, there was a couple of Norwegian Crab boats in Alaska when I was there, Pengwin and Isafjord, does it sound familiar to you?
MM, you don’t need to steam the crab legs it’s gonna get dry. Just thaw it and serve. I wonder if your suki gives instruction how to use king crab legs. Steaming is a no-no that’s for sure.
the title made me do a double-take—–remember your GYN appointments, ladies..
Big Al, thanks for those tips, didn’t realize it didn’t require steaming. I was afraid of potential cooties so I did a quick steam, but you are right, it was a little dry. zoi, I am sure fresh taste much better than frozen. Hmmm, but killing and dismembering one must be a little challenge, no? pinkytab, yikes, that’s pricey considering they come from the states… though I did read an article that quite a bit is now caught by russian ships/trawlers and they are bringing the prices down. funny how so many people seem to be watching this “Deadliest Catch” program… you guys even know the captains et al!
naughty title, MM ;-) ….and on Good Friday at that!
ooh..i also watched “Deadliest Catch” when i was back home…
MM..I think I saw some frozen King Crabs at Santis
I have so much more appreciation for those snow crab legs sold at the grocery & respect for the hardworking captains & crew after having watched several episodes of Deadliest Catch. There’s another series I find interesting, Man Vs. Wild. Thanks for the crab tips & recipe.
@Big Al, I am not familiar with those boats, but they do sound Norwegian. They are probably from the northwest coast of Norway and I live in the southwest. I love fishing programmes, I also sometimes love to fish and end up opening a tin can of fish soup; the cods won’t bite!
Hi MM, where is your suki in Fresh Fields exactly in Market! Market!? What other products does he offer? Thanks!
Thank you for featuring Alaskan king crab market man
Hi MM, have you ever eaten those Batanes Coconut Crabs, i’m just wondering if they are much better tasting than those Alaskan King Crabs.