Dungeness Crab and Cornmeal Stew
Sauce:
1/4 cup Spanish olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
6 canned plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup drained and chopped pimentos
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 dashes Tabasco
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup clam juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds fresh lump crab meat, picked over
1 1/2 cups coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
9 cups cold water
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a medium heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onions
and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until
softened. Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika and cook for 2 minutes more, until
the aroma is released. Add the tomatoes, pimentos, bay leaf, vinegar, Tabasco,
sherry, clam juice and salt to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally,
for about 10 minutes or until thickened and saucy. Add the crab meat and cook
for another 6 minutes, then remove from the heat and taste for seasoning. Cover
and set aside at the back of the stove while you cook the cornmeal. In a large
heavy saucepan, combine the cornmeal, water, oil, and salt. Mix together well
and place the pan over mediumhigh heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce
the heat and cover the pan. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes over very low heat, removing
the lid to thoroughly stir the mixture every 2 or 3 minutes. When the cornmeal
has thickened, season it generously with pepper. Remove the bay leaf from the
sauce and gently reheat it if necessary. Ladle the cornmeal into shallow heated
bowls and top with a generous ladleful of the crab sauce. Or if desired, mix
the two together thoroughly before serving.
Yield: 6 servings.