Dungeness Crab Omelet ( Torta de Cangrejo)

Two days ago, I prepared my favorite dish, normally served only on special occasion. It is the Dungeness Crab Omelet ( torta de Cangrejo) with shredded cabbage and sweet Vidalia Onions from Hawaii. Today is not my birthday or some other special occasion, but I have two whole crabs left-over from our New Year Lunch. The Dungeness crabs were on sale( for only $7.99/lb) at Safeway for the last couple of days.

The last time I tasted this dish was a couple of years ago, but the crab was from the Maryland crabs known also as the blue crabs. Preparing the dish is simple. The hardest part is to remove the crab meat from body, the claws and legs. 

 

The cabbage is shredded (1 bowl) and sauteed with the onions in olive oil until partially cooked. An equivalent amount of crab meat is added to the shredded cabbage and onions and cooked in olive oil until the cabbage is fully cooked . The crab and cabbage patty mix is added to beaten eggs with a small amount of corn starch. The patty is then fried in olive oil until the egg is cooked. The omelet is served with Picante Sauce (Hot or Mild) with steam rice. If you do not a cabbage, just the onions will suffice. The cabbage also give bulk to the dish.

My other recipe is the use of cube potatoes, bean sprouts or green beans( julienne) instead of the shredded cabbage. Try it and let me know if it is good.

Do you know the difference between the Dungeness and Maryland Crabs. The Maryland crabs, also known as blue crabs are much smaller in size and very similar to the Philippine crabs in appearance and taste. The Dungeness crabs are big and are caught here in the San Francisco Bay area and northward up to Alaska. The Maryland crabs are from the Chesapeake Bay of Northern Maryland and Virginia.

The Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister (formerly Cancer magister), is a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms on the west coast of North America. It typically grows to 20 cm (7.9 in) across the carapace and is a popular seafood. Its common name comes from the port of Dungeness, Washington. The crabs is a special attraction to tourists in the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf during the Crab Season. The season for the San Francisco Bay starts in the second Tuesday of November. I have posted several videos on Crabbing in my recent article in case you have not read it.

 

 This dish is also the favorite of my mother- Paz Balleza Katague(RIP)

 

Side Dishes to Complement Whole Dungeness Crabs

• 

  Three of the Six Dungeness Crabs We Had for Lunch on New Years' Day. We also had garlic noodles prepared by Ditas.

  
  The other day I posted responses to my query in the Filipino Cooking FB page regarding side dishes and what to do with Dungeness Crabs that I recently purchased. Some of the responses were recipes for Crabs ( not side dishes) so today

   

  I am posting some of the side dishes that I found in the Internet. The side dishes are as follows:
  

  • Double Garlic Herb Garlic Bread
  • Hush Puppies
    
  • Tri-Color Slaw with Lime Dressing
  • Teeny Tiny Roasted New Potatoes
  • Chewy Molasses Cookies with Crunchy Lemon Icing
  • Plenty of cold beer (PBR, pale ales, and IPAs are encouraged), white wine, or if you’re feeling extra fancy, champagne
• https://www.thekitchn.com/dungeness-crab-garlic-bread-crab-fest-menu-to-feed-a-crowd-party-menus-from-the-kitchn-184181 
•  
• 
  Our New Year Lunch, Jan 1, 2022
   
•  From another web site:
  
•  
• https://www.mainelobsternow.com/blog/crab-dinner-sides
•  
• Steamed Artichokes with Garlic and Butter
• Cottage-Cut French Fries
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Lemon and Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce
• Brandy-Infused Mayonnaise Dip
• Twice-Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Zucchini, Onion and Corn Hash
• Almond Caesar Salad
• Cold Sesame and Ginger Noodles with a Peanut Sauce
• Avocado Deviled Eggs

Finally, here's the article on Roasted Garlic Crab and Noodle( see link below*) that I heard from Ditas.

 

Enjoying Crabs with Your Hands

Roasted Garlic Crab and Garlic Noodle

Roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle is a scrumptious seafood dish that will make you drool. The garlic noodle complement the roasted garlic crab so well. I use linguine and it is delicious.

This roasted garlic crab copycat recipe was inspired by Thanh Long in San Francisco and Crustacean in Beverly Hills, California.

If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. They are well known for their roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle which is a family secret recipe.

Blue crabs is a great substitute for Dungeness crabs. It is sweet and tasty compared to any other type of crab. Thank God for this copycat recipe, we can now have roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle at the comfort of our home for a lot less money.

*https://www.todaysdelight.com/roasted-garlic-crab-and-garlic-noodle/ 

 

Feasting with Dungeness Crabs- Jan 1, 2022

 

Dungeness Crabs for Our New Year Feast, Again

Dungeness Crabs Available in our local Safeway Store on sale for $7.99/lb

Carlos Avila search for Dimsum in San Francisco and posting it on his FB page, reminded me of my article in my blogs about Dimsum and fresh Lumpia- two of my favorite dishes I love to feast on New Year.  

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2014/02/i-love-dim-sum-and-fresh-lumpia.html 

Carlos is Macrine's (RIP) nephew, a professional pianist ( not accompanist), a resident of New York City visiting the Bay area for Christmas.  However, besides Dimsum and  fresh Lumpia my other favorite dish is Dungeness Crab.

Yesterday, I ordered via DoorDash, 8 whole Dungeness Crabs now on sale and available at my local Safeway Store. The 6 whole crabs, I will serve on our New years Day Lunch with Ditas and Carenna. The other two I gave to our neighbor as gift and reciprocation of the Italian dishes she had given me in the past.

The price is reasonable if you compare buying it from a Chinese or Seafood Restaurant also via DoorDash. I paid $ 38 for two 2.5-lb pounders cooked crabs from Safeway. The restaurant price is $50 for one crab cooked in a variety of spices of your choice. The price does not include delivery, tips and taxes.

One Crab I ordered from Asia Fusion Restaurant in Garlic Butter and Garnish with Green Onions and Parsley

Here are 2 videos on the opening of the crab season this year in the Bay Area.

Lots of work, but fun and cooking seafood and rice dish right on the Beach 

Meanwhile enjoy this photo of Dimsum by Carlos and 15 Filipino Popular Traditions and Superstitions on New Year's eve and Day

https://philnews.ph/2016/12/26/filipino-superstitions-new-years-eve/

Happy and Healthy New Year to All My Relatives and Friends All over the World!

 

Some Popular Fruits of the Philippines

I saw an ad the other day of the availability of atis or sugar/custard apples in our local Asian store here in the Sacramento area for $3 each. This reminded me of an article I wrote a couple of years ago on the availability( although may be seasonal) and affordability of fresh tropical fruits in the Philippines. Here's my article on the subject of Popular Fruits of the Philippines. 

A Few of My Avocado Harvests from the Orchards of Chateau Du Mer, Philippines

 

Some Filipino Fruits with their English Names

 Here's a list of some popular seasonal fruits in the Philippines. 

How many of these fruit have you tried?

Atis (custard or sugar apple) 

Atis is also known as custard or sugar apples. (Pixabay/Stock photo)

Atis has lots of seeds that are coated with a soft sugary pulp that tastes like custard. The sweet fruit is available from September to December.

Banana 

The country is one of the top producers of bananas. (Pixabay/Stock photo)

Banana is considered the “most economically important fruit” in the country since it is one of the locally-produced fruits available throughout the year.

Chico (naseberry) 

Chico is also called an energy fruit because of its high sugar levels. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Chico has a sweet and malty flavor that has an edible coat. It’s also called an energy fruit because it has high levels of sugar. The fruit is available every January and February.

Dalanghita (mandarin orange) 

Dalanghitas are known as a symbol of good fortune every Chinese New Year. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Dalanghitas are considered an important fruit around Chinese New Year because it symbolizes good fortune. They are available from January to February and October to December.

Duhat (Java plum) 

Java plums are known to leave a “puckering” sensation in the mouth once eaten. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

The duhat leaves a dark violet stain on the tongue when eaten. It is likened to an astringent since it causes a “puckering sensation” in the mouth. These are available from March to July.

Durian 

Durians are notorious for their extremely strong smell but it’s also considered the “King of Fruits.” (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Durians are notorious for being smelly because of the mixture of several chemicals found in the fruit. Despite this, they are known as the “King of Fruits” partly due to its size, odor and prickly look. Durians are in season from August to October.

Guyabano (soursop) 

Guyabanos are used to produce juice and sweets, among others. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Guyabanos have a sweet pulp that is used to make juice, candies and ice cream flavorings. They are available from August to November.

Caimito (star apple) 

Caimitos (or “kaimitos”) are also known as star apples. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Caimitos are also known as star apples because of their star-like design when sliced in halves. It consists of two colors — white and purple. Caimitos are in season from January to March.

Langka (jackfruit) 

Langkas are usually mixed in banana cue recipes. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Langkas are usually mixed in halo-halo or banana cue recipes because of their sweet flavor. They are in season from March to May.

Lanzones 

The seeds of lanzones are bitter but its fruit is a mix of sweet and sour. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Lanzones are known for its sweet and sour taste but it becomes bitter if you taste its seed. They are available from August to December.

Mango 

The mango is known as the national fruit of the Philippines. (Creative Commons/Stock photo)

The mango is the national fruit of the country. One of its ripe varieties, the champagne mango, is considered the sweetest mango in the world. It is in season from March to June.

Mangosteen

The mangosteen is known as the “Queen of Fruits” because it resembles a queen’s crown when sliced in half. (Max Pixel/Stock photo)

If durian is the “King of Fruits,” then mangosteen is the “Queen of the Fruits” for its high antioxidant properties and crown-like shape once sliced. They are available from June to November.

Melon

Melons are usually mixed in salads or prepared as a juice in time for summer. (Creative Commons/Stock photo)

Melons are mixed with salads, halo-halo and sometimes even condensed milk. It is also used to prepare juice that is usually a hit during summer. They are available from April to July.

Pakwan (watermelon) 

Pakwans are also known as dessert fruits. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Pakwans are popular as desserts and is best eaten during summer because of its thirst-quenching properties. They are in season from March to July.

Papaya

Christopher Columbus reportedly called papaya the “Fruit of the Angels.” (Pixabay/Stock photo)

Papaya was purportedly called the “Fruit of the Angels” by explorer Christopher Columbus because of its sweet and soft, butter-like consistency. It is in season throughout the year.

Pineapple 

The Philippines is one of the largest producers of the tropical fruit. (Flickr/Victoria Rachitzky Hoch)

The Philippines is the second largest producer of pineapples next to Thailand. These fruits are exported to other countries as well. Pineapples are in season from May to July.

Rambutan

Rambutans may look like lychees but the former has seeds inside. (Pixabay/Stock photo)

The fruit is similar to lychee but rambutan has a seed inside. It is best eaten when it is bright red in color, which means it’s ripe and sweet. They are in season from August to October.

Sampaloc (tamarind) 

Sampalocs are used as flavorings or prepared as candies with sugar. (Pexels/Stock photo)

Tamarinds are usually used as a flavoring for savory dishes. They are also prepared as sugar-coated local candies. These fruits are available from October to December.

Santol (cotton fruit) 

Santol is also known as a cotton fruit because of its white, cotton-like membrane inside the fruit. (Flickr/whologwhy)

It is also known as a cotton fruit since there is a white cotton-like membrane inside once it is peeled. Some locals eat it with salt to add flavor. It is in season from July to September.

Siniguelas (Spanish plum) 

Siniguelas are also known as Spanish plums because they were introduced to the Filipinos by the Spaniards during colonization. (Wikimedia Commons/Stock photo)

Siniguelas are brought by the Spaniards during the colonization period, hence the name. It contains antioxidants that can help the body heal and repair. The fruit is available from April to June.

Suha (pomelo) 

Pomelos are considered the largest fruit in the citrus family. (Pixabay/Stock photo)

Pomelos are the largest fruit in the citrus family. They are also considered the cousins of grapefruit. Like the santol, some people also eat it with salt. These are available throughout the year.

With the exception of the Durian, I have all of these fruits in my orchard at Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque. Not in the above list are my avocado and guava trees. For a list of fruit trees in my orchard in the Philippines visit:  

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/search?q=fruit+trees+in+my+orchard

Source:  https://interaksyon.philstar.com/breaking-news/2018/06/04/127991/peak-season-philippines-popular-fruits-chart/

Other exotic fruits that I have tasted.
 

Meanwhile here's my potted pineapple last month- almost ready to be harvested

 

Dungeness Crab and Manila Clams for Our Easter Dinner This Year

Ditas and I are both excited at the above purchase!
 

Ditas went to her nearby Sea Food Market( Sunh) today to buy some Manila Clams. Luckily, live dungeness crabs for only $12.99/lb were also available.  This is not bad a price since I had been comparing prices for steamed Dungeness Crabs in our local grocery stores. The price ranges from $12.99 to $16.99 per pound depending on the grocery store. I had also been pricing whole cooked Dungeness crab with spices at our local seafood restaurants. The price ranges from $35 to $50 for one crab.  For more details about Dungeness Crabs visit the following site:

https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-did-i-do-to-deserve-this.html

Meanwhile here are the photos of the cooked Dungeness crab, the Manila Clams and our Easter Eggs. 

Again, Have a Blessed Easter to All!!!

 

My Two Favorite Pinoy Dishes for Easter and Other Special Occasions

 Happy Easter to ALL!!!!!

Photo Credit: Panlasang Pinoy.com

Two of my favorite Pinoy Dishes during Easter, Christmas and other special occasions are Relleno na Bangus (milk fish) and Chicken Relleno. In our younger years Macrine( RIP) would cook either Relleno Bangus or Chicken Relleno for our Easter Dinner. In the Philippines she had the assistance of our regular cook, but here in the US she had me as the errand or chopping boy. I enjoyed watching her cooked the Rellenos. The recipes are not  that hard but the Deboning Process required skills, practice and special tools. Here are the videos for your viewing pleasure.

   And for the Chicken Relleno

Meanwhile enjoy some spring blooms from my garden here in Northern California.  Again, Happy Easter to All!!

 

 

I Tasted Blue Rice for the First Time the Other Day

Spicy Pompano (Whole Fish)-Sautéed deep fried Pompano with onions, green beans, red bell pepper, jalapeño, zucchini, basil, garlic, chili sauce, and topped with crispy kaffir lime leaf.

 

I ordered Blue Rice from a Thai Restaurant the other day along with fried and Spicy Pompano. It was my first time to taste blue rice. The taste is similar to the regular Steam Jasmine white rice. Below is a description of what blue rice is      

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/blue-rice-is-the-latest-craze-that-is-insta-worthy-too/articleshow/80313239.cms

While Blue Rice is not new to Asian cuisine, it is the striking colour that has made people sit up and take notice of the dish lately. Recently, even actress Jacqueline Fernandez was seen indulging in this dish along with her friends. Blue Rice, also known as Nasi Kerabu, is prepared using butterfly pea flower and is commonly consumed in Malaysia and Thailand. Though mixologists across the country have previously used butterfly pea flowers to impart blue or purple colour to drinks, it is only recently that blue rice has been introduced in restaurants in the city. Chef Tarun Sibal, who serves Blue Rice with Yellow Tofu curry at his eatery, shares:

How to prepare it
Take a cup of Jasmine rice and cook it like you prepare regular white rice. To the water add a handful of butterfly pea flower. “You will need a lot of blue pea flower so that the rice gets the blue colour,” he says.
Pair it best with
This rice can go with all kinds of curries. “Since it is fragrant rice, personally, I prefer to pair it with Asian flavours. So, an Asian curry with mild flavour is definitely a good choice,” he adds. 

Nutrition aspect
Butterfly pea flower is packed with anti-oxidants and is said to detoxify your body and enriches skin texture as well.

 

 

Personal Note: Rice Farming and its income made me of what I am today. My Parents and Grand Parents from Iloilo were Rice Growers and Landowners during their time. My Parents had more than 30 tenants planting rice annually in Barotac Viejo. It was our primary income. 

On the other hand, Macrine's (RIP) Dad in the island of Marinduque was a coconut grower and copra dealer( coconut plantation). Macrine's Mom was an Educator! My own Mother was a full time homemaker. My Dad on the other hand was a Dentist in his younger years. Later on he retired from Dentistry and helped my Mom managed our farm land and other properties, including a commercial building in Iloilo City.