Whether it’s the simple but delicious crab roll or the almost feudal lobster dish: we North Germans love our seafood delicacies. Here are a few tips for crabs, lobsters, and crabs.
Sea delicacy crustaceans
Crustaceans are considered a real delicacy. Their tender, mild flesh is not only tasty but also rich in protein and nutrients. But it seems that the larger the shellfish, the greater the amateur cook’s shyness about preparing it.
We want to give a brief overview of the different types of crustaceans: from North Sea crabs and shrimp to the supreme discipline, the lobster. You can also expect helpful tips and some tasty shrimp recipes.
Brown shrimp or garnet
Are you raising your eyebrows right now? Yes, the correct name for this favorite specialty of North Germans is North Sea shrimp. The name North Sea crab or simply crab has become ingrained over time. But no matter what you call the little ones, they always remain tasty. You can buy shrimp in the shell, i.e. unpeeled, or ready to eat. North Sea shrimp can be enjoyed cold or warm. They cut a fine figure on their own as well as in salads or soups. The North German classic is the shrimp salad with mayonnaise.
The triumph of the North Sea shrimp started in the small fishing village of Greetsiel. The largest shrimp cutter fleet in East Frisia was and is anchored here. Incidentally, the North Sea crabs that are caught are already cooked in seawater on board, as the sensitive crab meat would otherwise spoil too quickly. North Sea crabs must be “peeled” before they are eaten. The removal of the inedible parts of the crab meat is still real manual work today.
North Sea crabs are caught all year round and are therefore available in stores all year round. Fresh North Sea shrimp belong in the fridge and should be used up quickly – after two days at the latest – as they spoil quickly. North Sea shrimp, delicately pink and fresh from the sea, is a real treat for all seafood lovers. They have a wonderfully spicy and piquant aroma. Their taste is clearly finer and more intense than that of deep-sea crabs.
Shrimp
Now it gets a little complicated because the numerous types of shrimp are sold under many names in the trade. Depending on the size of a shrimp, it is traded as shrimp or prawn or king prawn. In addition to these designations, there are other, beautiful-looking names from the world languages. Shrimp are also sold as French crevettes or Spanish gambas. For a genuine taste, use sea-caught shrimp. Shrimps from so-called aquaculture are usually reared in a mixture of groundwater and seawater.
Norway lobster or scampo
Norway lobster is very similar to lobster and is therefore often called Norwegian lobster. The flesh of its abdomen is a real delicacy. This is sometimes misleadingly sold in Germany as a crayfish tail. Scampi, as the animals are called in Italian, is often confused with shrimp. Shrimp can be found as an ingredient in many recipes such as spaghetti scampi. Too bad, because Norway lobster and shrimp taste very different.
Surimi
Strictly speaking, shrimp, crab, and lobster are all crustaceans. In this country, crab meat often comes from crayfish. But crabs are also considered delicacies. Surimi ends up on the plate much more often than crayfish or brown crab. This is a kind of imitation crabmeat, which is not rocket science in the modern food industry, but a Japanese product with a long tradition. For surimi, fish meat is chopped, pressed, and flavored.
Lobster
The lobster is considered the pinnacle of crustaceans and is valued by gourmets as extremely delicious. But the enjoyment of lobster is not undisputed, because the animals are often sold alive and only killed in the kitchen. You can also buy frozen lobster, which is said to be less tender and flavorful. In addition, the meat of the frozen lobster can become tough very quickly during preparation. Also popular is the lobster sauce, a basic sauce for many fish dishes that goes particularly well with pasta.
Classic appetizer: shrimp cocktail
As a cold appetizer at receptions or parties, the shrimp cocktail, as its name suggests, is served in a glass. The outstanding feature is the cocktail sauce, which has become well-known even without crabs.
You can also easily make these yourself. It’s two parts mayonnaise, one part ketchup, half a part cognac, and Tabasco to taste, plus some salt and pepper.
The shrimp cocktail can be served in boats made from lettuce leaves or halved avocados instead of in a glass.
Asian Snack: Crab Chips
Crab chips, also known as krupuk, are made from tapioca flour and ground shrimp. There are two different versions available commercially. Bags of ready-made shrimp chips are popular, which can be eaten straight away like commercial potato chips.
But there are also dried crab sandwiches that are fried in a wok with hot vegetable oil at home. In the oil, the bread puffs up like popcorn.
Crabs during pregnancy?
Pregnant women should generally avoid raw fish, for example in sushi. Nothing stands in the way of enjoying boiled, fried, or grilled shrimp. Commercially available North Sea shrimps were mostly cooked at sea. However, depending on the time of consumption, this may have been some time ago. Bacteria can possibly form at home if the food is not stored sufficiently.
Micah Stanley
