I don’t know about you, but my life has improved immensely since the meaty Dungeness crabs arrived on our shores, ready to brighten the long winter days with their cheerful, red bodies and tasty, sweet meat.
Normally, we serve the cooked, cleaned crabs cold with a mayonnaise-lemon dip and a salad, but this weekend, I tried a roasted recipe from Josh Silvers of Jackson’s in Santa Rosa, where the chef/owner is serving Dungeness crab hot from the wood oven. To be honest , it’s going to be difficult to go back to eating cold crab again.
Here’s a rough idea of the “recipe,” which is easy to execute, even without measurements. Just taste as you go and use your common sense. The two chiles and the paprika are available at The Spice Shop, 317 D Street, in Santa Rosa. Trader Joe’s also sells a smoked chile from South Africa that would work as well.
Jackson’s Roasted Crab with Garlic and Ginger
Dungeness crabs, cooked, cleaned and cracked
Chopped Garlic
Fresh ginger
Butter
Lime Juice
Urfa chile flakes
Aleppo chile flakes
Sweet smoked paprika
Chopped cilantro
Green onion
Lime zest
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Saute chopped garlic and fresh ginger in butter until soft. Add lime juice, chile flakes and the sweet smoked paprika. Sprinkle over the cooked, cleaned and cracked crab, making sure to coat any exposed meat. Cook in a 500 degree oven for five minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro, green onion and lime zest. Dig in!
