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Rice with Menorcan "Hairy Crab"
As a change, and to get away from the lobster caldereta's
star role, I'm going to give one of my favourite recipes created
by a friend of Wind Fornells, a native of Fornells, Diego
Coll from Es Cranc Pelut de Menorca. Diego was born in Fornells
and is a master of local cuisine. The recipe is from his book,
"La Cocina Marinera de Fornells".
Among the hundreds of different species of crabs which carry
the island's name, we find this one of the dromidae family,
whose major characteristic is that both its carapace and legs
are covered with hair, just like its cousin, locally known
as the "door mat crab". Of medium size, it enjoys
its placid but carnivorous existence in cracks and holes in
the rocky coast and sea bed. Its flesh is much appreciated
by local gourmets.
Ingredients: (4 persons)
1 kilo of Minorcan hairy crabs
500 grammes of rice
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small green pepper
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes
olive oil
1 1/2 litres of water
Remove the shells from the crabs and chop the meat, crush
the pincers. Sauté the crabs and shells in an earthenware
dish. Season. Chop the onion, pepper ands garlic and poach
with the crab. When tender add the chopped tomato. Once the
sauté is well melted add the water. Once boiling point
is reached, add the rice and cook gently till the rice is
done.
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