-
1
1.
-
2
To make the meatballs, place the crabmeat in a mixing bowl and shred with a fork.
-
3
Add the eggs, milk, dry mustard, pepper, and cracker crumbs.
-
4
Mix well.
-
5
Season with salt and hot sauce to taste.
-
6
Moisten your hands and roll the mixture into balls that are about 3/4- to 1-inch in diameter (about 1/2 ounce each); keep your hands slightly wet so the balls are very smooth.
-
7
Place on a cookie sheet.
-
8
You should have about 36 balls.
-
9
Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the chowder.
-
10
2.
-
11
To cook the crabs, fill a 6- to 8-quart pot with 1/2-inch ocean water or tap water with enough salt added to make it very salty.
-
12
Bring to a boil, place the crab(s) top shell (carapace) down in the pot, cover, and steam for about 12 minutes for smaller crabs, about 20 minutes for a Dungeness crab.
-
13
Remove and allow to cool at room temperature.
-
14
3.
-
15
When cool enough to handle, remove the crab legs, break into sections, and neatly crack the large pieces.
-
16
Pick the meat from the small pieces and reserve.
-
17
Remove the apron (tail flap) from the bottom of each crab and discard.
-
18
Remove the top shell, scoop the green stuff (tomalley) out of it, and reserve; discard the shell.
-
19
Remove the gills from the body and discard.
-
20
Cut the body into quarters and trim away any extraneous shell or cartilage.
-
21
Refrigerate all the crabmeat, crab pieces, and tomalley until ready to use.
-
22
4.
-
23
Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the bacon.
-
24
Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is a crisp golden brown.
-
25
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, leaving the bacon in the pot.
-
26
5.
-
27
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
-
28
Add the butter, onion, bell pepper, bay leaves, and the Old Bay Seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the onion and pepper are softened but not browned.
-
29
6.
-
30
Add the potatoes and crab stock, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil.
-
31
Cover the pot and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center.
-
32
If the broth hasnt thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and cook a minute or two longer to release their starch.
-
33
7.
-
34
Lower the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, and bring back to a simmer.
-
35
Season with salt and pepper.
-
36
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cracked crab legs, picked leg meat, tomalley, and body sections.
-
37
If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely.
-
38
Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
-
39
8.
-
40
When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat.
-
41
While it is reheating, place an 8- or 9-inch skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat, add about 1/2 inch vegetable oil, and heat to about 350F.
-
42
Carefully but quickly add 8 to 10 meatballs to the hot oil and pan-fry, turning them as needed, until they are a rich brown color on all sides, so they resemble real meatballs.
-
43
Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs, letting the excess oil drain back into the pan, then place on paper towels to drain.
-
44
Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
-
45
9.
-
46
Ladle the chowder into shallow bowls or large soup plates, making sure that the crab, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes are evenly divided.
-
47
Place 4 meatballs in each bowl and sprinkle generously with the chopped parsley.
-
48
Serve the remaining meatballs on a plate or platter; your guests can add more, if desired.
-
49
In addition to the crab meatballs, the chowder contains two whole crabs.
-
50
Steaming and cracking the crabs is a bit of work, but they add great flavor.
-
51
If you use the full amount of crab stock called for in the recipe, you can omit the crabs and still have a great chowder, but do not omit them if you make the chowder with fish or chicken stock.
-
52
Without any crab flavor in the chowder, the meatballs dont connect.
-
53
Even with crab stock, I recommend the cracked crabs; they add character and rustic charm.
-
54
For equipment, you will need a 6- to 8-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid (for steaming the crabs), a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot with a lid (for making the chowder), a wooden spoon, and an 8- to 9-inch skillet or saute pan, a slotted spoon, and a ladle.
