Some people, when they are invited to a potluck dinner party, are happy just to bring a bottle of wine or a bag of chips and store-bought guacamole. But if you are going to an event with foodies, or people who obsess over what they eat, this easy-way-out business will simply not be up to snuff. You can end up experiencing a significant amount of anxiety regarding what to actually bring to the event, which is highly unnecessary when you consider the fact that this is supposed to be a fun, social time! That is why it makes sense to find something that will be impressive, but simple. A great option, then, based on this criteria, is centering a dish around Alaskan King Crab, one of the freshest and most delicious seafood options available.
One great way to prepare King Crab legs for a dinner party is to make a fresh seafood salad. Go to your local grocery store, one that is known for its fresh seafood, preferably, and purchase enough crab for the number of people who are coming to the party (two pounds including shell for four people is a good metric if this is a side dish). Most King Crab sold in grocery stores in the Lower 48 will come partially cooked, so all you need to do is boil it in broth or water with a few spices like salt and a bay leaf. Remove the crab legs with tongs, and put in ice to cook rapidly (this saves time, but you can let it cool down just by being exposed to air if you can wait).Â
Once the legs are cool, crack them with a nutcracker or a shell cracker. Scoop out the crabmeat and place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon per pound of crab meat, and lightly toss with pepper, salt, and freshly chopped cilantro. Serve with toast-style crackers, and your guests will be sure to be impressed.
You can boil king crab like you would boil Dungeness, for roughly 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the crab. While some cooks say to salt the water to taste, the king crab can be naturally salty from the ocean, so use caution with the big guys.
Other means of preparation are baking, broiling, or microwaving (which is surprising, to be sure). While you can buy thawed legs, they can often lose their freshness while thawing, so it is better to buy live or frozen, and then thaw them and heat them at once. With just 96 calories in 3.5 ounces of crab meat, you get flavour and health in one bite.
One of many great and easy Alaska recipes would be a fried wonton appetiser featuring an Alaskan crab filling. Simply fry the wonton wrappers into little cups and fill with a mixture of avocado, shallots, lime juice and wasabi. Top with crab meat, cut into _ inch cubes. Salt to taste.
It is also possible to bring freshly cooked Snow Crab legs to a party, but transportation and serving might be a bit more difficult. So bring the salad, and everyone will be happy!