By Chef Youji Iwakura | 3 hours

Green crabs are excellent for creating a rich and flavorful ramen broth or miso soup. Developing the broth’s flavor takes some time but the result is worth it!

Chef Youji Iwakura created this dish in collaboration with Eating with the Ecosystem and Save the Harbor/ Save the Bay for our summer event Cooking with Green Crabs. You can learn more about the event and explore other recipes from local chefs here. Our biggest thanks to Wulf’s Fish for lending the use of their test kitchen to develop this recipe and hard-shell green crabs.

STOCK INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 lbs whole green crabs

• 2+ qt water

• 1pc white onion

• 1pc carrot

• 4” square of kombu seaweed

• 15g ginger slices

• small bunch of favorite seasonal herbs

• a slice of lemon

• 1 Tbsp mirin

• 2 Tbsp sake

• a pinch of salt

• blanched fish bones (if available)

STOCK INSTRUCTIONS

1. Blanch green crabs in boiling water then strain, rinse, and set aside.

2. Add water, onion, carrot, kombu, ginger, herbs, lemon, mirin, and sake to a stock pot and bring to a simmer. 

3. Add blanched green crab and fish bones and simmer for 2-3 hours. 

4. Strain through a chinois and set aside. This is your stock.

RAMEN INGREDIENTS (5+ full-size bowls)

• 30g unsalted butter

• 70g minced onion

• 20 g of flour

• 1.5qt Green Crab stock

• 0.5qt Water

• 5oz. soy sauce (or anchovy-infused soy sauce)

RAMEN INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add butter and minced onion to a pan, cook until melted then add flour to mix, and cook thoroughly to make a roux.  

2. Add green crab stock to blend with the roux, and add soy sauce and taste. 

3. Cook ramen noodles in boiled water until al dente. 

4. Pour 12oz. soup over the cooked ramen noodles.

5. Arrange your favorite toppings and dash of “kohmi” savory oil.

Itadakimasu! (Bon Appetit!)

About the Chef

Youji Iwakura is a Boston-based chef, restauranteur, and owner of Washoku Renaissance: which started as a ghost kitchen and catering company during the pandemic and aims to to pursue a new renaissance for authentic Japanese food and the art of eating. He’s trained in Japan and the US, serving as the chef de cuisine or executive chef at restaurants such as UNI, Snappy Ramen, Basho Japanese Brasserie, and his own restaurant, Kamakura.

During the summer of 2021, he hosted a cooking class with us on Revere Beach in collaboration with Save the Harbor Save The Bay and Eating with the Ecosystem. He joined GreenCrab.org’s Board of Directors in 2023 and is passionate about sustainable seafood and pushing cultural boundaries with authenticity.