Tag Archives: Sustainable

Crab Louie Salad and Spud Point Marina

20 Feb

There is nothing like freshly cooked Dungeness Crab, dipped in garlic butter! I also like to make a second dipping sauce from Mayonnaise, Lemon Juice and some Curry Powder. The flavors pair very well with the Crab and a simple shaved Fennel & Apple salad (tossed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt & Pepper), along with some crusty bread, can’t be beat. By the way, family members, please note for my “Last Supper”!

We wanted to cook up some live Dungeness Crab for dinner a few weekends ago, so took a drive out to Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay in Northern California. It’s just a few minutes north of Lucas Wharf. Lucky for us, Seafood Watch considers this type of crab sustainable and Paisano Brothers Fisheries had a holding tank full of them–being well into the season, we were surprised by the large size of 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. It’s a good idea to take an ice chest since they only have plastic garbage bags, which are easily punctured by their claws, making your trunk wet and possibly having them escape!

If you’re not up for cooking them yourself, Spud Point Crab Company is across from the Marina and serves Crab sandwiches and Clam Chowder, among other things.

We had plenty of leftover Crab, so I made a salad with a “Louie” style dressing (including Mayo, Sweet Pickle Relish, Ketchup, Lemon Juice, Chopped Capers).

Hopefully, we’ll do this again at least one more time this year! The season begins in Mid-November (perfect for a pre-Thanksgiving meal) and runs to June, but it’s best to get them in the winter months. Do you have a favorite Crab recipe to share?

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Calamari Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

14 Jan

It’s the New Year and eating healthier is definitely on my mind. Have you tried Calamari? It is sustainable, delicious and tender when cooked properly.

One of my favorite ways, other than grilling it, is to gently steam it for several minutes, in a vegetable steamer, over simmering water infused with a few strips of Lemon Zest and 1-2 Bay Leaves. It cooks very quickly over steam so don’t walk away from it. It won’t take long to become firm and will continue to cook even after you have it off the heat. Then, throw it into the Vinaigrette, which will help stop the cooking process.

Salad for 2 people:

  • 4-6 Calamari, depending on the size (steamed and sliced into rings)
  • 1 Carrot, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • Romaine Lettuce (I suggest using the heart and keeping the leaves whole, or Butter Lettuce would be nice too)
  • Arugula, 1 handful
  • 1/2 Bulb Fennel, shaved thinly
  • Olives, about a handful, cut in half (I had green ones on hand, but Kalamata would also work well)

 For the Vinaigrette:

  • 3 Parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
  • 1 Part Lemon Juice*
  • Juice of 1/2 an Orange*
  • 1/2 Shallot, finely chopped (or thinly sliced Red Onion)
  • Parsley, a few sprigs, finely chopped
  • Red Pepper Flakes (1-2 pinches or to taste)
  • Salt, to taste

*Note: if you prefer a sharp dressing like I do, use 2 parts Oil and 1 part Juice . You could also use the leftover 1/2 orange, cut  it into segments, and add them to the salad.

  1. Combine the ingredients of the Vinaigrette in a Salad bowl
  2. Toss in the steamed Calamari and let it marinade for about 10 minutes
  3. Combine the rest of the salad ingredients with the Vinaigrette and Calamari and enjoy!

I first heard about the technique of steaming Calamari while watching one of Lidia Bastianich’s cooking shows, Lidia’s Italy, on PBS. You can view her recipe here and for instructions on how to clean them, here is a link from Monterey Fish Market.

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