Top 3 European Crab Dishes

Moeche or moleche is a traditional dish hailing from Venice. This seasonal dish consists of soft shelled crabs – both males and females shed their old shells in the spring, but only the males moult in the fall. There's only a few hours from when the crabs shed their hard shells and before the new shell hardens when it contacts the water. Enter the molecanti, local moeche fishermen who are experts at harvesting these crabs and can identify which crabs are about to molt and which not. The crabs are washed, dipped in eggs and flour, then fried until golden brown. They are traditionally served with a lemon wedge and polenta on the side. For the best experience, stroll down the Rialto market and grab the moeche in one hand and a glass of prosecco in the other.Expand

Helgoländer knieper are cooked claws of the brown crab, a specialty of Helgoland, a tiny German island in the North Sea located some 70 km off the coast of Germany. This barren and rocky patch of land has been most famous for lobster fishing, but lobster has all but disappeared since World War II. In contrast, the population of brown crabs (or edible crabs) has been steadily rising, so nowadays, this crustacean is one of the island's main exports. While still on the boat, fishermen remove the claws and use the body for bait. The claws are later cooked in seawater, a traditional method of preparing kniepers (which literally means claws). Once done, the claws are either smashed with a hammer or a crab leg cracker, and a special seafood fork is used to scrape the meat out of the shell. Helgoländer knieper are usually paired with some fresh bread, butter, and various dips, like curry, garlic sauce, or dill and cognac. Expand

Granseola alla veneziana is a traditional dish originating from Venice. The dish is usually made with a combination of spider crab meat, salt, pepper, lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil. The crabs are cooked in boiling salted water, drained, and the meat is removed and cut into small pieces. The pieces of crab meat are placed into upturned shells and dressed with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Spider crabs taste the best from October to December, and it's recommended to use medium-sized specimens because they have tender meat.Expand