EPISODE ONE
Location - Semaphore South Foreshore
Recipe - Barbequed Garlic Butter Blue Swimmer Crab
Special Guests - Our family
Phil and Denis are joined by their family on a wild 39 degree summers day down at Sempahore beach. Phil and Dalton had a blast catching these from the Semaphore Jetty, a hugely fun thing to do with the kids.
INGREDIENTS:
8 Large fresh South Australian Blue Swimmer Crabs (2 per person)
3 Beers a local Pale Ale is Perfect, anything will do
200g or half a stick of butter
Whole Garlic
2 Shallots
Beerenberg’s Pale Ale Mustard, Any seeded Mustard will work
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lemon
1 bunch parsley, chopped
Capers
Parmesan Cheese Whole
Mesclun salad mix ( store bought) just a combination of chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive.
INSTRUCTIONS
Fish, Crabs you name it somehow always tastes better when you have caught it yourself!
Locally caught with the family 8 crabs, take what you need that way when we get back out there at another Aussie Park Barbie there will be some crabs for next time!
I placed the crabs in the fridge over night to ‘ put them to sleep’ before cleaning them up.
Start by, using one of their legs to open the V on their underside. This will help when peeling off the Hood ( their Head). Pull head off, discard that ( youll want a bin for this). Pull out the gills, guts, eyes, mouth, face etc. Once all the fun stuff is out of the body, snap the crab in half down the body. Youll end up with a claw and legs on each side/ piece of the crab.
Once crabs are all cleaned, lets marinate them. Crack the shells alittle bit, a nut cracker will come in handy or some pliers/ wire cutters etc. It’s a BBQ get creative!
Olive oil splash, Salt and Pepper, lots of lemon and fair splash of Beer. ( The other 2 beers are for the cook).
Depending on how hot your BBQ gets they are all different will determine how quickly the crabs will cook.
Time to start on our Garlic butter Caper Sauce.
Simple sauce, grab a pot on the BBQ. The BBQ is a giant hot plate! Splash of Olive oil. Diced nice and fine the Shallots. Add those in get some colour on the Shallots. Add in Garlic. Smash, diced and add straight in.
Salt and Pepper in.
Add in your Capers. Everyone has a favroutie style of Caper, Large Small, different region etc. Explore different types they are all unique find what you enjoy. The smaller from experience the more bitter.
Once Garlic, Shallots and Capers are all in and the Shallots and Garlic have some colour add in your butter, I like to grate a half of lemon in with the butter.
We want to just colour the butter and infuse these flavours. Move the pot to a corner of the hot plate this is usually alittle cooler in temperature.
Crabs on!
Lay crabs down on the hot plate, the hotter the better!
The crabs will take on a pink tone as they cook, this is how we know they are ready! Add some of the crabs beer while cooking and some of the juice in their bowl. This will keep them hydrated and delicious.
Salad time. Place your Mesclun mix in your favourite bowl. Slice a red onion ad to mix.
In a jar or container Olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, balsamic ( just a splash)
Shake those.
Pour over salad mix and top with some crated parmesan cheese!
Crabs will have taken a strong pink colour and should be smelling absolutely unreal! They are done!
Take the crabs off, place on a plate. Grab your mustard and spoon a good tablespoon into your sauce, stir it through and pour heavily your Garlic Butter Caper sauce over the crabs!
Perfect opportunity to send whoevers at the BBQ with you to grab some hot chips to go with the crabs!
This is finger food so enjoy!!!
You just cooked an incredible dish on a local Aussie Park Barbie!!
