Crab Legs with Sugar Snap Peas in Lemon-Butter
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We’re in the middle of summer and I cooked Crab Legs with Sugar Snap Peas in Lemon-Butter. Summer cooking inspiration came from the freshness of produce and the longing for seafood. I wanted easy, light cooking, but a hearty meal to put together. I wanted to laze around more, and cook less in the hot, humid kitchen.
As the days got warmer, our family reminisced about past vacations at the shore, where the freshest, tastiest seafood could be enjoyed there. But we live in a landlocked area, hours away from the ocean. And with the pandemic still not over, our travel choices are limited.
So, I resorted to canned crab legs, which were surprisingly good and flavorful. You can substitute with flaked crab meat if more convenient. I bought fresh sugar snap peas at the market. These sugar snap peas reminded me of summer vacations in Baguio, when I was growing up in the Philippines, and my Mom always bought sitsaro, what Filipinos call sugar snap peas. These ones I got at the Asian market nearby were absolutely so crisp, you could hear the ‘snap’ at first bite. Plus, there was that familiar nutty flavor in the vegetables, which is irresistible.
For this dish, I sauteed the pre-boiled, canned crab legs and vegetables in garlic, extra virgin olive oil and butter. Then, I poured the lemon-butter mixture. Served with rice, it was like a dream. This is the kind of meal that makes you want summer to stay a little longer.
Crab Legs with Sugar Snap Peas in Lemon-Butter
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Wok: 12 inches in diameter
- Small stockpot
Ingredients
- ½ pound sugar snap peas, edges trimmed
- water for blanching
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
- 1 whole medium-sized white onion
- 8 ounces pre-boiled, cracked crab legs (canned), claws opened for meat; or use flaked crab meat as substitute; 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 whole fresh lemon, for the juice; about 1/8 cup
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
For serving:
- steamed rice
Instructions
To prepare Sugar Snap Peas:
- Trim the edges of the sugar snap peas and wash thoroughly.In a small stockpot, boil water, enough to cover the snap peas.When water boils, blanch the snap peas for 1 minute. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water for saute.Drain. Place the sugar snap peas in an iced bath (bowl of iced cold water + ice cubes) to maintain the fresh, green color. Set aside.
To cook the Crab Legs with Sugar Snap Peas:
- In a large skillet or wok, over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil plus the butter. When hot enough in 1 minute, saute the garlic and onions. Add the crab legs. Stir around for the butter flavor to blend. Let this cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drain the sugar snap peas from the ice bath. Discard the iced water.Add the vegetables to the skillet with the crab legs.Pour the reserved 1/2 cup of water used for blanching the snap peas.Combine ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Mix together in a small bowl the juice of 1 whole lemon with the 1/4 cup melted butter. Pour this mixture into the skillet of Crab Legs with Sugar Snap Peas.Incorporate ingredients well. Serve warm with steamed rice.
Cook's comments:
- I used canned, pre-boiled crab legs for this recipe. We live in a landlock area so we don't always have access to fresh seafood. You can substitute with canned or fresh, boiled crab meat which has been flaked.If using salted butter, omit or lessen the amount of salt in the recipe.Sugar snap peas, which I purchased at the Asian market here in America, are a cross between snow peas and garden peas, according to The Kitchn. Its texture is crunchy and flavor is sweet. In the Philippines, I found these fresh, in the Baguio market, but are now available in Manila and other cities, too. These can be eaten raw or in a simple stir-fry, with or without meat. You can also cook it with fish and seafood, noodles, or a combination of other vegetables.
Copyright Notice:
- Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided in the recipe links is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE Asian in America recipes on this blog, my original recipes, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC by Elizabeth Ann Quirino. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
Nutrition
Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided in the recipe links is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.
Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE Asian in America recipes on this blog, my original recipes, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC by Elizabeth Ann Quirino. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
