Real Crab vs Artificial Crab

[jpmcgrew]

I adore fresh lump crab but alas I will not get any around here. The imitation is ok if it's mixed with other ingredients like mayo and such. It's not bad as a crab salad on a roll, quesadillas and things like that. For crab cakes I like real crab but I have not tried to make crab cakes with the fake the fake seems to be sweeter than real crab. But I'm kinda thinking if you mixed a can or two of good quality crab since I can't get the fresh with the fake you might get a decent crab cake. I don't mind the fake because I don't try to pretend it's real crab it's just another version of seafood. God, I wish I had access to fresh seafood and the frozen I can get is usually substandard and seems to be the stuff no one else would buy although I can get some decent frozen shrimp.

 

[Elf]

jpm, try blanching canned tuna, then make the crab cakes like you would normally do. I got this recipe from a gentleman I worked with who lived in Baltimore, He had a cottage on the Chesapeake, where he could catch his own crabs, his wife made them both ways, you really couldn't taste the difference. I know it sounds odd, but if you don't have fresh crab and have a craving, this might be the answer.

 

[Claire]

I think it really depends upon your guests. I once made a Krab Cobb salad (notice the spelling) for my mom. Not only did I use fake crab, I also bought diet ranch dressing. Holy moley. It was put in very complimentary terms. "Claire, you are such a great cook. Don't use the fake stuff and ruin all your hard work!" That said, many of us do not live within anything resembling the shore. Just do NOT try to pass it off as the real thing.

 

[archiduc]

The obvious difference is about $18.00/lb.

I'm making a Crab and Wild Rice salad for the ladies who lunch. The seafood part is about 50% shrimp and 50% crab. I'm putting in tiny English Peas, green onions, roasted red pepper and changing the wild rice to a blend, plus a few seasonings in a mayonaise dressing.

I'm not familiar with artificial crab. I understand it's not the real thing, but will it be enough to notice?

Good grief,

Sometimes words fail me! In the UK (where I live) and one has been contracted (a legally binding document in terms of the content of food served, if payment is made to another) to serve fresh crab (for Ladies who lunch) and served something other than this, such as "crab" flavoured but including other fish" one could be sued for failing to provide that for which one was contracted (payment being critical) to provide. 50% crab and 50% shrimp is not a crab salad, etc., it is a seafood salad. Additional ingredients are totally irrelevant, if the contract specifies crab!

If you served this for me and I was paying you to serve a crab salad, I would have no hesitation is suing you for failing to provide that for which you were contracted to provide and that for which I was paying!

Good luck to you if you get away with it, but I would not employ you to do any catering for me! When you cook for others and accept payment you enter into a legally binding contract which might form the basis of future legal action (eg. someone becoming ill on eating food which you supply) so it behoves you to know the costs of food before entering into a contract and not after!

All the best,

Archiduc

 

[simplicity]

Good grief,

Yes, the salad name is misleading. I used the same name as the original recipe. I listed the ingredients so all would know.

When I wrote about the ladies who lunch, I was referring to a group of friends. For this lunch I had invited seven friends to my home.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. It is a reminder that I must pay more attention to my writing.

 

[Michael in FtW]

simplicity - don't worry about it ... 15 people who responded obviously "got it", the only one who didn't doesn't appear to have read past your first post.

Ironically, in their "where did that come from?" tangent about contracts and catering and such they didn't bring up the fact that the recipe was called a "crab" salad and was half shrimp!

 

[expatgirl]

do you know how much fun it is to go crabbing??? I love it........take a pole and tie a chicken leg at the end of the line........throw it into the water and scoop up the crabs........have a net on hand for the more crafty ones............not only is it fun but then you get to eat your day's work..........

 

[BreezyCooking]

Actually Michael, you & Archiduc are BOTH guilty of not taking the time to read previous posts.

For Archiduc, it was not bothering to realize that the OP was making a lunch for her FRIENDS, who I doubt plan to sue her, regardless of what she serves them.

For Michael, Archiduc plainly stated in his post:

50% crab and 50% shrimp is not a crab salad, etc., it is a seafood salad. Additional ingredients are totally irrelevant, if the contract specifies crab!

The lesson here is to read (the entire thread) for comprehension before you post.

And Expatgirl - boy, do I MISS crabbing!! Back when I lived in NY every summer found us out on the piers & bridges with crab traps & chicken-leg lines!!

 

[Michael in FtW]

Well - boogers!

 

[expatgirl]

Actually Michael, you & Archiduc are BOTH guilty of not taking the time to read previous posts.

For Archiduc, it was not bothering to realize that the OP was making a lunch for her FRIENDS, who I doubt plan to sue her, regardless of what she serves them.

For Michael, Archiduc plainly stated in his post:



The lesson here is to read (the entire thread) for comprehension before you post.

And Expatgirl - boy, do I MISS crabbing!! Back when I lived in NY every summer found us out on the piers & bridges with crab traps & chicken-leg lines!!

pickles i only highlighted the crabbing part and it still repeated everything.....sorry........we always picked places where the fishermen gutted their fish cause there were always crabs and mighty tasty ones, too...even a 4 year old can go crabbing without getting hurt.......

 

[LAJ]

Lets hope they never make farm-raised crab.

 

[Bigjim68]

Lets hope they never make farm-raised crab.

Actually, farm raised crabs are becoming a cash crop. Raised in fresh water.

Also, I have purchased soft shell crabs out of concrete tanks. Those ready to molt are held in the tanks until the shells are shed.