Crab meets microwave
To zap or to steam, which method is best?

In the Dec. 24 "Seafood by the Season" column, we told you that lobster was great cooked in the microwave. As quick as the beep that sounds at the end of a cook cycle, hundreds of beeps went off in local food lovers' brains: If lobster is good in the microwave, what about crab?

I beep. You beep. We all beep crabs. So we tried microwaving crab in The Chronicle's test kitchen.

We microwaved crab just as we did the lobster, in an oven bag with a tablespoon of water, and in a bowl enclosed snugly by plastic wrap. We tasted it against crab steamed in a wok above boiling water. We also tasted it against pre-boiled crab.

Unlike the lobster, no one method cinched (or should we say pinched?) the win. Steam and microwave clawed equally for the top spot.

We ran two tests.

In the first tasting, the microwave version won, hands down. The crabmeat, like that of the microwaved lobster, had a silky finish and tasted intensely of crab -- no watered-down flavor here.

When we repeated the test, things turned upside down. Everyone remarked how Crab #1 (steamed) and Crab #2 (microwaved) were indistinguishable. It was so hard to determine differences that Food section staffers stood around the counter and kept eating crab -- back and forth, back and forth, on and on --

until everything was gone.

By the time the shells were mounded and votes were counted, the steamed version came in first; the microwave took second place. One person preferred the store-bought boiled crab and gave it first place.

What happened in the second test? My answer: one cooked; the other cooled. In other words, the microwaved crab continued cooking, while the steamed crab stopped cooking. While they were indistinguishable at first, by the end of the tasting period the microwaved crab had taken on a tough, over-cooked texture and had lost flavor.

In the first test we had cooked both crabs for a shorter time, so the steamed crab tasted undercooked and the microwaved crab was just right.

The lesson

In both methods, it is critical to cook the crabs a point. We're convinced that if steamed correctly, either over boiling water or in the microwave, your crustacean will turn out perfectly. Our lobster test suggested similar lessons, and the crab test confirmed it.

Here's what we can tell you about steaming on the stove. Create a steam rig in a wok or stockpot. Make sure the pot holds plenty of water -- at least 2 cups per crab. Place the crabs on a cake rack, a steam basket (such as the one used for vegetables) or flat bamboo basket.

Ideally, the crab should be in something porous, but if that's not possible, put them on a small plate positioned on an upside down bowl or something to hold the plate above the water. The idea is to allow plenty of steam to swirl up, around and above the crab. Be sure the lid fits tightly and that the water is at a rolling boil.

Critical factors

The weight of the crab, how much water is in the pot and how tightly the lid fits will make a difference in when you stop the cooking. In the microwave, those factors are also critical. The accompanying recipe gives a pretty foolproof way of figuring the right amount of time, but in general you should underestimate time. There's nothing more disappointing than overcooked crab.

It won't hurt a bit

Now that we know the microwave can't hurt crab, you can always zap it for a few more seconds if the crab is undercooked. A crab cooked a point means that the flesh has just turned completely opaque and not one second beyond that.

We also tested cooking more than one crab. Unlike lobster, two, even three crabs can fit in the microwave, so it is possible to stage a crab feast (for three) in the microwave.

Steaming can cook up to as many crabs as your pot can take. You have to play around a bit to find out the right amount of time. We did not, to the disappointment of many here, test steaming four, five, six, seven ... or even 10 crabs, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to go over 15 minutes total cooking time, no matter how many crabs are in the pot.
 

Make sure you have a pot (or wok) with a tight-fitting lid. The classic Chinese dip, with its sweet and sour elements, brings out the flavor of crab. It's as easy to stir together as melted butter, and is fat-free.

INGREDIENTS:

For Conventional Crab

About 2 cups water

1 live Dungeness crab,

1 1/2 to 2 pounds

For Microwave Crab

1 live Dungeness crab,

1 1/2 to 2 pounds

1 tablespoon water

1 heat-resistant oven bag (Reynolds is one brand)

Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce

(Per Serving)

2 tablespoons brown Zejiang (or Chekiang or Chinkiang) vinegar

3 to 4 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons sugar

2 slices of fresh ginger, peeled if desired,

finely julienned

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the conventional crab: Pour the water into a large wok or stockpot and place a rack above the water. Bring to a rapid boil.

Place the crab on the rack, cover tightly, and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the crab from the wok, crack it and serve with melted butter or Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce.

To steam more than 1 crab, add 3 minutes for each additional 1 1/2 pounds of crab, up to 15 minutes. If cooking more than 1 crab, make sure the crabs are all about the same weight.

For the microwave crab: Put the crab and water in the bag, seal and microwave at full power for 6 1/2 minutes. Remove the crab from the bag (careful, it is extremely hot), crack and serve. Add 1 1/2 minutes for each additional 1/2 pound of crab, up to 15 minutes.

Note: Cooking 2 crabs at once works best if they are of equal weight -- simply add 3 minutes of cooking time for the second crab. Add about 1 minute for each additional crab, up to 15 minutes.

Vinegar dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Serve with hot steamed crab.

Due to the general nature of the recipe, there is no nutrition analysis.
 

Used as a side-dish, this gratin, which pairs two ingredients that are hallmarks of winter with the beloved Swiss/French cheese, raclette, can dress up a poached, baked or broiled fish fillet. It can also be a main dish, and is even better prepared a day in advance.

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt to taste

2 pounds white napa cabbage, stems and leaves separated, cut into 2-inch- long segments

14 ounces chicken stock

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 heaping cup fresh-picked crabmeat (8+ ounces)

2 cups grated raclette cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

White pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the oil in a wok, and add salt. Add the cabbage stem sections and toss-fry until all are coated with oil and a few begin to turn translucent. Add the leaf sections and toss-fry. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Transfer to an 8-cup casserole or baking dish.

Return the wok to the heat and add the butter. When the butter foams, sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes, until the flour is cooked and gives off a nutty aroma. Do not let it brown. Remove from heat. Drain the liquid off the cooked cabbage and add it to the roux, stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook until the sauce bubbles and thickens somewhat. Remove from heat. Fold in the crabmeat, then fold in 1 cup of the raclette.

Pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining raclette and the Parmesan and season the top with white pepper.

Before serving, bake uncovered in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Optional: place under broiler to brown the cheese.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as a side dish

PER MAIN-DISH SERVING: 545 calories, 34 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 39 g fat (16 g saturated), 127 mg cholesterol, 782 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.