Green Crabs on the Menu
Green crabs have been popping up on menus across New England. As 2023 wraps up, we thought we’d highlight how some chefs have utilized green crabs on their menus this year and share some of our favorite dishes. To note, some of these dishes aren’t currently available but you can find a live list of restaurants featuring green crabs on our homepage.
Tinos: Hampton, NH
Chef GJ Overmars is no stranger to green crabs and has been cooking with them for a few years, sourcing them from That Salty Blonde: the green crab queen of Seacoast New Hampshire. GJ processes up to 400 lbs of green crabs every other week, transforming the crustacean into a rich stock that he utilizes in demi-glace, soups, and even green crab bread.
Green Crab Kakavia from Tinos
Cod with Green Crab Demi-Glace
“We’ve been playing around with the invasive green crab for the last five years now. Trying to push these pesky buggers into as many dishes as possible, from bisque to stew and ramen, to more experimental ways like green crab mayonnaise and beignets. The idea to make a bread out of the crabs came on a Sunday morning while I was baking our weekly bread and my son came up to me with snapping hands and said, “Look Dad, I’m a crabby”.
Swing by Tinos to check out GJ’s green crab dishes or keep an eye out for their Local Roots dinners which often feature green crabs alongside other locally sourced produce and seafood.
Pagu: Cambridge, MA
Between a nomination for James Beard Oustanding Restaurant and the launch of their new Roundtable program, Tracy Chang’s Spanish Japanese tapas restaurant has made some waves in the past year. We were thrilled to participate in the first and second Roundtable event with Wulf’s Fish, Atlantic Sea Farms, and five chefs across New England. Through food and conversation, the event broke down how eating kelp and green crab can help coastal ecosystems and sustainable food systems. The first menu featured dishes such as Green Crab Croquetas by Tracy Chang and Redfish Carnitas Tamale with kelp and green crab broth by Chef David Vargas. During the second Roundtable, Tracy prepared a green crab Paella with lemongrass and sweet corn aioli.
Tracy’s Green Crab Croquetas with Labneh surrounded by other Roundtable dishes
Tracy making green crab croquetas
Pagu’s second Roundtable featured dishes such as Tracy’s Green Crab Paella
Tracy’s work with Roundtable landed her Best of Boston’s Best Chef with a mission and made some waves in the Boston Globe.
The Shipwright’s Daughter: Mystic, CT
As a James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader, The Shipwright’s Daughter is known for locally and sustainably sourced seafood. However, their innovation in the kitchen is equally impressive, especially when it comes to green crabs sourced from Westerly harvester Jason Jarvis. When we visited the back in June, we had the chance to try green crabs on their menu three ways and meet co-owner and Executive Chef David Standridge. We began with a pickled local scup in green crab vinegar before tasting a spicy fish soup with a green crab rouille topped sourdough and then dove into a local fluke a la plancha with sugar kelp chimichurri and a green crab emulsion. Other dishes they’ve featured with green crabs include a bouillabaisse with green crab saffron broth and black bass crudo with green crab oil.
Chef David Standridge
Pickled Scup in Green Crab Vinegar
Spicy Fish Soup with a Green Crab Rouille topped Sourdough
The Shipwright’s Daughter has even started a “Renegade Fish Club” that promotes underutilized and invasive seafood consumption, spearheaded by David and co-owner Kathleen Standridge who brings a unique perspective to their sustainable sourcing, communications, and wine program. This year, Kathleen joined our board and she’s excited to get more Connecticut restaurants cooking with green crabs while spreading awareness of the invasive in southern New England.