Stone Crabs

Stone crabs are in season from mid-October to mid-May, and only the claws are harvested. Since they are highly perishable, they are quickly boiled and chilled. Because of the thickness of the shell, the claws are usually sold with the shells cracked or removed.

If crab claws are not available for the following recipe, try the salad with jumbo shrimp instead. Either way, this dish is enhanced by the recipe for Joe’s mustard sauce from Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant in Miami.

The recipe for the mustard sauce is adapted from “Eat at Joe’s”, a collection of recipes from Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant, written by Jo Ann Bass and Richard Sax.

STONE CRAB CLAWS

Potato, Cucumber and Green Pepper Salad With Lemon-Dill Dressing

12 to 16 medium cooked stone crab claws or 12 to 16 cooked jumbo shrimp

2 limes, cut into wedges

Joe’s Mustard Sauce

Mound potato, cucumber and green pepper salad in center of large platter. Arrange chilled but not ice-cold stone crab around edges of platter. Garnish with lime wedges. Dip shellfish into Joe’s Mustard Sauce or spoon sauce over top. Makes 4 servings.

Joe’s Mustard Sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, or more to taste

1 cup mayonnaise or low-calorie mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon steak sauce

2 tablespoons whipping cream

2 tablespoons milk

Salt

Beat mustard and mayonnaise in bowl of electric mixture, about 1 minute. Add Worcestershire, steak sauce, cream, milk and dash salt. Beat until creamy. Chill sauce until ready to serve.

Potato, Cucumber and Green-Pepper Salad

1 1/2 pounds long white potatoes, scrubbed

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup packed chopped dill

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/2 green pepper, cut into 1/8x1-inch slivers

1/2 red onion, cut into thin lengthwise slivers

Red leaf or curly leaf lettuce leaves

In pot cook potatoes in boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and peel. Halve potatoes lengthwise and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices.

Whisk together lemon juice, dill, olive oil, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes, cucumber, green pepper and onion. Toss to coat. Serve at room temperature arranged on green leaves in center of large platter. Surround with stone crab claws or shrimp. Makes 4 servings.

TROPICAL FRUITS IN SPICED SYRUP

1 cup water

1/3 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

1 ripe mango or papaya, peeled, pitted or seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 kiwi, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 star fruit, cut into 1/2-inch slices, each slice quartered

Combine water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf in saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare fruit and place in bowl. Add syrup. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.