Seafood cookery from Carteret County kitchens

Break off large claws. With the left hand, grasp the body of the live crab and pull off the top shell with the right hand. Cut or break off the legs. Scrape off the gills (dead man’s fingers) on the sides, and remove the digestive and other organs located in the center part of the body. At this point the crabs are ready for stewing. If crabmeat is called for then drop live crabs in boiling water. Cook or steam gently for a few minutes. Remove crabs from water, cool and pick meat from skeleton. To do this, grasp the body of the crab with the large claws to the right. Break off the large claws. Pull off the top shell with the right hand. Cut or break off the legs. Scrape off the gills (dead man’s fingers) and remove digestive and other organs located in the center part of the body. Slice off the top of the right side of the inner skeleton, beginning near the front. Remove any meat on this slice, then, starting with the right back fin pocket, remove the meat from the lower part with a U-shaped motion of the knife. Remove the meat from the other pockets by inserting the knife underneath and prying upward. Cut off the top from the left side of the inner skeleton and remove the meat in the same manner as for the right side. To remove the meat from the claws, crack the different segments of each claw with a sharp blow of a knife and break the shell. Remove the meat by clasping it with the thumb and fingers of the left hand while pulling out the tendon with the fingers of the right hand. If the meat does not come out readily, pry it out of the shell with a knife. LITTLE CRABMEAT CASSEROLES 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 4 unbeaten egg yolks 1 pound fresh crabmeat 2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons prepared mustard salt pepper dash of Worcestershire sauce additional half lemon browned-in-butter mushrooms bread crumbs (tinned or fresh) grated Parmesan cheese Make a white sauce out of the butter, flour and milk, and when it is thick, add the seasoning. Gradually stir in the egg yolks, unbeaten, the crabmeat, and the mushrooms. Then pour into individual casseroles. (1 you haven’t these, pour into large one.) Put some buttered crumbs on top and Parmesan on top of that and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Jus before serving, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over each one. (Recipe calls for 1 wine glass of white wine, or more.) FRIED HARD CRABS Clean hard crabs, remove claws and crack with a hammer, cut body in half. Rinse and place in colander, salt and flour. Cook quickly in a heavy skillet in hot oil. Place crabs in skillet so that the edge where the body was cut will be standing in oil. Brown. Turn crabs flat and fry on both sides. Fry claws until brown and crispy. Mrs. John R. Williams Crab Point Club CRABMEAT CASSEROLE 1 pound crabmeat (2 cans) 3 hard boiled eggs 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon horseradish 1 teaspoon dry mustard % teaspoon salt % teaspoon Worcestershire sauce dash red pepper bread crumbs paprika Pick crabmeat free of shell. Chop eggs. Make white sauce: melt butter in a pan; add flour, mix until smooth. Add milk and stir over lov heat until sauce thickens. Add lemon juice, horseradish, mustard, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and pepper. Add crabmeat and egg mixture. Mix well. Pour into casserole dish. Brown bread crumbs with butter in a fry. ing pan. Pour over casserole and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until well browned. CRABMEAT CASSEROLE 1 pound crabmeat 1/3 cup butter or margarine 3 tablespoons flour % teaspoon salt 4 teaspoon paprika dash of Tabasco dash of cayenne 1% cups evaporated milk 3 egg yolks, beaten