Bahamian Style Jonah Crabs and Rice, a New Englander's take - Mike Chace

Recipe: Bahamian Style Jonah Crabs and Rice
Contributor: Mike Chace 

I saw you all giving my crazy looks when i posted my pic from our lobster dive the other day when i harvested my limit of local Jonah Crabs. Many think they are a lot of work to get the delectable crab meat out, being their claws lack the size of their Northern Stone Crab cousins. I don't hold it against you, and you not wanting to harvest any leaves more for me. Actually I may only harvest them once or twice a year when the really big ones come inshore in Spring and they are in in good numbers. When they are sparse I let them be. They seamed to be everywhere this last weekend so I chose to harvest some with a couple of recipes in mind. We are always trying to find creative ways to utilize some local resources here in the north east and the Jonah Crab is definitely one of them.

If you have ever had Bahamian Crab Rice or even been lucky enough to have even been in the home of a local there while making it, you would understand my desire to want it back here at home. The fragrance alone should be bottled and sold, but the taste is so unique and recipes vary from house to house. The traditional Bahamian way is to make this dish with red or black land crab, but I figured the sweet Jonah would be a nice substitute.

Ingredients:
12 - large Jonah Crabs (save the crab fat and liquor in shell)
3 cups of long grain rice
1 yellow onion
3/4 cup of pigeon peas
salt and black pepper
1 scotch bonnet or hot pepper of your choosing
6-8 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 small bay leaves or 1 large
1 - sprig of fresh thyme
6 cups of water

Second, let it be noted there is some work involved. I find the best system is a two day process. First I boil or steam up the crabs. Then I let them sit overnight in my "shellfish fridge", yeah... I have one of those. The boiled - then chilled process makes their strong shells a little more brittle and easy to crack open claws and legs the next day. The following day I remove the meat from 6-8 crabs, being sure to save the crab fat and save that with the tasty liquor inside the main shell. I then take another 6 crabs and remove the back shell, crab fat & liquor, then remove the gills and clean the rest of  the body under running faucet, keeping with the legs and claws intact.

At that point take a large knife and split the body section in two - 4 legs and claw on each side. Now to actually cook it.

1. In a rather large pot bring 6-8 tablespoons of vegetable oil to heat, then add the onions and cook until they are almost translucent.
2. Add the crab fat and liquor.
3. Add about 4 teaspoons of salt and black pepper, bay leaves, fresh thyme and the hot pepper of your choosing, and 1 cup of pigeon peas. I could not get a scotch bonnet so settled for a cow horn, probably making it a little more New Englandized.  Let this simmer for about 5-6 minutes until onions look done.
4. Then add the halved crabs to simmer for a few to get them releasing their juices in the mix.
5. Add the tomato sauce and mix to simmer a few.
6. Add the lump crab meat we removed from the shell, the long grain rice and water. Gently fold everything together and let slow simmer to begin cooking the rice.

On medium heat cover the pot and be sure to keep stirring often and do not burn the rice. Easy to do. After maybe 10 minutes the rice should have absorbed all the liquid and be done cooking. Remove from heat, stir well, then let it sit for a few minutes to an hour if you have the time.

This is excellent served hot or room temp with some crusty bread. You can eat the tasty rice and break apart the crab legs and sections to remove the meat still in the shells that has now been infused with all the other flavors of this dish.

For those who like finding a tasty treat from an unlikely source, give this dish a try.

Be well,
Mike