blue manna crab

Although sadly that time of year is coming to an end it has been an awesome crabbing season! Come summer the Swan River is full of Blue Manna crabs and if you find a good spot all you have to do is drop down a net set with a tantalising fish head or two, sit back, relax and wait. About a drink later you can pull up your nets and with any luck you will have caught dinner.

To the question of what to do with your catch there is no single answer. The traditional West Australian approach is to boil them up, line the dining table with newspaper and allow everyone to tuck in, with a bowl of vinegar and aioli nearby for dipping.

After a few particularly bountiful sessions over the summer weekends, I had to come up with a few other ways to use up all the crab! Once a crab dies it releases enzymes which hasten the deterioration of the meat. If you don’t plan to eat them straight away you can attempt to keep them alive, or I think it’s easiest just to cook them up the day they’re caught and then they can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

To cook the crabs bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil before adding the live crabs to the pot. The moment the crabs enter the water their blue shells will transform to orange, they will also take a lot of heat out of the water, so wait until the water returns to the boil before starting the timer.  

If you plan on eating the crabs the traditional way about 7 mins is the right amount of time to cook them through, but if you plan on using them for another purpose which will involve more cooking 5 mins should do. Once they are cooked dunk them in ice cold water to stop the cooking process and allow them to come away from the shell more easily. 

If you can't wait any longer they are ready to serve as is! Serve with vinegar and warm buttered bread!

If you do however want to try something different with your catch, watch this space for recipes to follow...