Help Crab Reach Its Full Potential in the Kitchen and in the Environment

Alaska is home to some delicious oceanic treasures such as salmon and crab, but both of these populations have known hard times. Through hatcheries the salmon population was able to make a beautiful comeback and now it appears that is the course of action that needs to be taken for the Pacific Alaska crab. Due to over fishing and changes in the environment, crab populations off of the coast of Alaska have been dwindling in the past few years, causing shorter crabbing seasons and limitations on what types of crabs can and cannot be caught. Building up crab populations in hatcheries and releasing them into the wild is the best chance at bolstering the number of crabs and their sustainability.

If you are fortunate to get your hands on some Pacific Alaska crab, there are a variety of recipes that will help you enjoy the delicacy. One delicious dish is Alaskan king crab with mushrooms. For this recipe you will need one twelve ounce Alaskan king crab with split legs, one cup of sliced mushrooms, three tablespoons of butter, one to two tablespoons of dry sherry or vermouth, two tablespoons of diced green onion, and one tablespoon of lemon juice.

Once you have compiled all of these ingredients heat up a medium sized skillet and melt the butter. While the butter is melting, add the lemon juice and sauté the Pacific Alaska crab legs, moving them to the side of the skillet. When the crab legs are on the side then sauté the mushrooms and dice green onions in the skillet and splash the sherry over all of the skillet's contents. Let all of the ingredients cook for a little longer and then serve immediately. This recipe is best served over simple white or brown rice, whichever you prefer.

While facing some hard times in the wild, recuperation of the crab populations off of the coast of Alaska is a very achievable goal. Patience and hard work will help rebuild the crab populations. With some creativity and cooperation among fishing institutions there will be enough crab for the ocean and dinner tables everywhere!