Rockin’: A Florida Crab Claw Feast

Winter is the time for crab, but man does not live by Dungeness alone--even in California. If, for some reason, you need a break from wonderful West Coast crabs, try Florida stone crab claws.

Most crabs are sold whole, but only the claws of stone crabs are harvested; the crab is returned to the water to grow replacements (which takes about 18 months). Available fresh through May 15 and frozen for much of the rest of the year, stone crab claws are shipped already cooked. You will recognize them by the distinctive black markings at the tips of the pink pincers.

Ethnic markets are excellent sources for fresh, reasonably priced seafood. Last week, we found fresh stone crab claws in Chinatown markets at $3.99 a pound and used them to build this seafood salad.

Be careful in preparing the shrimp: It cooks--or, rather, overcooks--very quickly. Once it is added to boiling water, return the water to a boil and watch carefully to avoid overcooking. After the water resumes boiling, the shrimp will be done in just a minute or two. To check for doneness, pinch one to see whether it’s firm to the touch. To be absolutely certain, slit one shrimp down the middle; the center should have lost its translucence.

Remove the shrimp from the water immediately after they are cooked and rinse under cold water. Then plunge them into ice water until they are completely chilled. Drain before covering and refrigerating.

Rather than combining the artichoke mayonnaise with the seafood, we found the flavor of the crab claws and shrimp best when we used the artichoke mayonnaise as a dip.

Menu

Seafood Salad With Artichoke Mayonnaise Dip

Herb Melba Toast

Pistachio Florentines

Staples

3 eggs

White wine vinegar

Salt

1 clove garlic

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup olive oil

White pepper

1 cup butter

Sugar

Flour

Shopping List

1 pound large shrimp

2 pounds stone crab claws

1 head butter lettuce

2 tomatoes

1 ripe avocado

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts

1/2 cup Kalamata olives

1 (4-ounce) jar capers

1 bunch chives

1 bunch or 1 (3/4-ounce) package fresh basil

1 bunch or 1 (3/4-ounce) package fresh tarragon

1 bunch or 1 (3/4-ounce) package fresh marjoram

1 loaf sandwich bread

1 (16-ounce) bottle dark corn syrup

1/4 pound shelled pistachio nuts

Game Plan

Morning of dinner: Prepare Herb Melba Toasts. Clean and cook shrimp. Crack crab removing meat from shells. Cover and chill seafood until ready to serve.

Afternoon of dinner: Prepare Pistachio Florentines.

One hour before dinner: Prepare Artichoke Mayonnaise.

Last minute: Wash lettuce. Slice tomatoes and avocado and arrange on serving plates with chilled seafood. Serve with melba toasts.

After dinner: Serve Pistachio Florentines.

SEAFOOD SALAD

1 pound large shrimp

2 pounds stone crab claws

1 head butter lettuce

2 tomatoes, sliced

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup kalamata olives

Artichoke Mayonnaise

Peel and devein shrimp. Drop into pot of salted boiling water and cook just until shrimp turn pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain shrimp, rinse under cold water, plunge into ice water, drain again and chill.

When ready to serve, crack crab claws and remove meat as carefully as possibly to keep it in large chunks.

Wash and dry lettuce and divide onto 4 plates. Arrange chilled shrimp and crab meat on each plate. Arrange tomatoes, avocado slices and olives on each plate. Serve Artichoke Mayonnaise on side for dipping.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving, without Artichoke Mayonnaise, contains about:

262 calories; 987 mg sodium; 153 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 29 grams protein; 1.62 grams fiber.

ARTICHOKE MAYONNAISE

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and pureed

1 tablespoon drained capers

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon minced chives

Puree egg yolks, vinegar, salt and garlic in food processor or blender until blended. Gradually blend in vegetable and olive oils in thin stream. Transfer mayonnaise to mixing bowl.

Put artichoke hearts in food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Stir pureed artichoke hearts, capers, white pepper and chives into mayonnaise. Check seasoning and adjust if needed.

* Note: Although many recipes, including this Artichoke Mayonnaise, call for uncooked eggs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found them to be a potential carrier of food-borne illness and recommends that diners avoid them. Those at high risk for food-borne illness--especially children and the elderly--can add the artichoke hearts, capers, white pepper and chives to a manufactured mayonnaise.

Makes 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise.

Each tablespoon contains about:

107 calories; 108 mg sodium; 34 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

HERB MELBA TOAST

1 tablespoon minced basil

1 tablespoon minced tarragon

1 tablespoon minced marjoram

1/2 cup butter, softened

12 thin slices sandwich bread

Stir basil, tarragon and marjoram into softened butter until blended. Cut bread slices in half. Spread 1 teaspoon butter mixture onto each half slice of bread. Place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes 24 herb toasts.

Each toast contains about:

81 calories; 139 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.03 gram fiber.

PISTACHIO FLORENTINES

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

Combine corn syrup, sugar and butter in small heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts and ingredients are well blended. Stir in flour and pistachios. Drop batter by teaspoons at least 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until pale golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets about 1 minute then transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Each cookie contains about:

73 calories; 35 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.05 gram fiber.