Years ago I started going with my then friend, Kevin, to his family’s beach house “down the shore,” which of course refers to the Jersey Shore.  His mother introduced me to her famous blue crabs that she buys right off the boat in Cape May and cooks two ways.  Never had I seen Kevin become so childlike as he and his brother became giddy with anticipation.  I had no idea what the fuss was about until I experienced my first sit down with the family, the newspapers and the crabs. One taste and it reminded me of how my grandmother used to make calamari in red sauce and it dawned on me that Italians will throw anything they can find into a pot of red sauce.  It’s like a blank canvas that takes on the flavors of whatever you add to it.

Over the years as our relationship progressed from friends to couple to engaged to still engaged to common law married if they had such a thing in New York, the crabs remain the constant.  When I get a hankering to make these at home, I go to Randazzo’s Seafood on Arthur ave to buy them live and cook them one of the two ways I learned from my mother in law- either in red sauce with linguine or steamed in white wine.

CRABS IN RED SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

·       3 tablespoons of olive oil

·       3 garlic cloves, sliced

·       Pinch or more crushed red pepper flakes

·       2 tablespoons tomato paste

·       4 cups crushed tomatoes

·       ½ cup of red wine

·       1 teaspoon of dried oregano

·       Salt and pepper to taste

·       1 dozen crabs (get the fish store to clean them for you so you don’t have to kill them and clean them yourself)

·       1 pound linguini

·       2 pats butter

·       1 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley

·       Grated Pecorino Romano cheese for passing (this is taboo but we still do it)

 

 

DIRECTIONS

In a very large stockpot, saute the garlic and red pepper over low heat in the oil for a few minutes but do not let the garlic burn.  Add the paste and stir it to toast it and flavor the oil.  Add the tomatoes, wine and oregano and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the paste.  Add a few pinches of salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Add the crabs and bring back to a low simmer, but do not boil.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally and checking to make sure it is not boiling rapidly.

Boil the water for pasta and as always, make sure to salt the water liberally. Once boiling, add the linguine and cook only until al dente. Drain and toss with the butter.

Remove crabs from the sauce and place on a platter.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Add the linguine to the pot of sauce and toss thoroughly.  Serve in a large bowl alongside the crabs.

It’s not cool with Italians to eat seafood and cheese together but being that we are in Jersey, we break from tradition by allowing grated Pecorino and extra red pepper flakes at the table to toss with your linguine. 

Prepare to have a mess on your hands.

 

ALTERNATE VERSION (CRABS IN WHITE WINE)

INGREDIENTS

·       3 tablespoons of olive oil

·       2 tablespoons butter

·       3 garlic cloves, sliced

·       Pinch or more crushed red pepper flakes

 

·       2 cups of dry white wine or beer, your preference

 

·       Salt and Pepper or Old Bay Seasoning

·       1 dozen crabs (get the fish store to clean them for you so you don’t have to kill them and clean them yourself)

 

·       1 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

Saute the garlic and red pepper in oil and butter over low heat, do not burn the garlic!  Add the white wine and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and add the seasonings and the crabs. Let cook about 30 minutes or until completely red and no longer blue.  Serve on a platter with parsley sprinkled on top and a baguette on the side.