I've Got Crabs!

So I was down at Haymarket on Saturday and along with buying the requisite produce I also stopped by the fish monger.  They were selling crabs!  I haven't had crabs in FOREVER!  So I got some... 3 decently sized guys for $5.  The guy bagged them for me and I happily walked back to the T with a thousand thoughts of what I was going to do with my veggies and crabs.

In case you are unaware, when you buy live crabs they are usually sitting on ice because it makes them sluggish (and less likely to run away and/or pinch someone).  HOWEVER, after about 10min on a warm train... my boys started to wake up!  Terrifying!  Its bad enough to smell like fish on the T, but when your grocery bag starts moving its a whole new ballgame.

To make the story even more hilarious, once I got home, I wasn't sure exactly what to do with them.  Do I put them in the fridge?  I don't want them to die!  Do I put them on ice?  Do I throw them right into the steamer?  How much water do I use?

Ring, Ring
Me: "Mom!  I need help!"
Mom: "Oh my god, what's wrong!?!?!"
Me: "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to freak you out... but I have crabs and I don't know what to do."

HAHAHAHAHAHA ...I totally meant to freak her out!

Anyway, Mom was very informative and after a couple of minutes I had my crabs steaming away in about 3 inches of water, vinegar, quartered lemons, and a bay leaf.  I sprinkled the little buggers with some Old Bay and set the timer for 15min.

Thank god 1) they don't scream like lobsters, 2) they didn't try to claw their way out of the pot, and 3) no one (except the crabs) got hurt during the ordeal.

While on the phone, Mom gave me her crab cake recipe.  It went a little something like this, "Do you have italian bread crumbs?  (yes) How many lbs of crab meat do you think you'll have?  (no clue!) Don't use too much bread crumbs.  Or egg.  One egg per pound of crab meat.  A little mayo.  (how much is a "little"?)  Maybe a splash of Worchestershire and OB. (that's Old Bay seasoning for those of you not from  the Chesapeake Bay area)" 

I then say, "what about herbs like parsley?"  I thought she was going to slap me through the phone... "NO, DON'T GO SCREWING IT UP WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN CRAB MEAT"

ok mom, you win... I followed your "recipe" and they turned out AMAZING.  I forsee buying more crabs this summer.

Fresh out of the oil (vegetable oil, for frying):

Plated dinner:

I also whipped up some tartar sauce with mayo, lemon juice, chopped up pickles, and some dill. (and no Katie, there is no cream of tartar in tartar sauce!) haha

Oh, and a note for next time: start picking the crabs earlier... we didn't end up eating until like 10pm!!