nab them, having extra meat and very little shell to fight on the plate. These are called soft-shell

crabs. Experienced crabbers and distributors separate out crabs that are about to shed their shells

(

they tell by a reddish coloration) and market them at premium prices as soon as the old shell

comes off.

About 25 percent of the total weight of a crab is edible meat. In the shell, 1 to 1¼ pound

450 to 570 g) of live crab per person is a generous serving, or 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of

crab meat if you buy it shelled.

(

TASTINGS What is imitation crab?

Imitation crab is a commercial preparation called surimi, that the Japanese

invented and used for at least 800 years. Originally, it was a way of preserving

extra fish when fishermen had a big catch. With modern technology, fish

processors produce surimi from inexpensive and abundant fish, either whitefish,

pollock, tilapia, hake or menhaden (menhaden is a nonfood fish that's used mostly

for bait, fish oil or fertilizer). They clean the fish, then force it through a

perforated grid that strains out bones and skin, ending up with a mince that they

quickly freeze in large blocks at sea. This is the base for imitation crab, shrimp,

lobster, scallops and even salmon. To make it look authentic, they also add flavor,

color, crab and shrimp by-product juice, and chemicals. This substance is

restructured to resemble the texture and mouthfeel of the real thing. It is

inexpensive, which is its main virtue, although it is also reasonably nutritious. It

has very little flavor and undedicated cooks and lower-priced restaurants often use

it in salads, since it looks good and there is absolutely no preparation involved.

Open the package and dump the small chunks into the salad bowl. People eat

more surimi imitation crab in the U.S. than real crab, not surprising when you

compare the prices. In a supermarket that carries Dungeness frozen crab meat at,

for example, $23 a pound (450 g), imitation crab sells for $3 a pound (450 g).

Crayfish, crawfish and crawdad are interchangeable terms in the fish trade, but

technically they are not the same animal. Crayfish is a small freshwater species in the Pacific

Northwest that looks like a miniature lobster. Crawfish or crawdad is a large marine species that

looks and tastes like lobster but is not closely related to it. Crawfish and crawdad are the terms of

choice in the Southeast. Crayfish is as delicious as lobster, but it only grows large enough to be

easily edible in a few areas. Now they farm crayfish and is often available where there is demand

for it.

In crayfish 15 to 20 percent of the total creature in the shell is edible meat. When you buy

it in the shell you need 1¼ to 2 pounds (570 to 900 g) per person, depending how meaty the

crayfish is, or 4 to 5 ounces (110 to 140 g) of shelled meat.

Langostino is a small member of the lobster family caught off the Chilean coast. The tail

meat, picked from the shell by hand, cooked and frozen is highly prized. This meat looks like

small shrimp and tastes like lobster, but with a more delicate flavor. Its color is a brighter orange

than lobster’s. A similar species, called lobsterette, lives off the coast of the Caribbean and south

Florida, as well as in southern Europe. Retailers use the two names interchangeably. Look for

these in the freezer, either individually quick frozen or in bulk. They are moderately priced

compared to lobster.

You’ll find langostino marketed without tail so all is edible meat. For cooking, count on 4

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