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Txangurro a la donostiarra
Txangurro a la donostiarra: San Sebastián spider crab baked in its shell with a vegetable sofrito
SpanishIn San Sebastián the spider crab (txangurro) is a winter treat, at its best from November to April, and the old bars of the Parte Vieja serve it bubbling hot in the shell. The picked crab meat is mixed with a slow sofrito of onion, leek, carrot and tomato, often splashed with brandy, then topped with breadcrumbs and butter and browned. This recipe uses brandy; leave it out or use the same amount of crab cooking water for an alcohol-free version. A common mistake is a wet filling that boils under the crumbs; cook the sofrito down until thick. Chef's tip: use a cooked crab from the fishmonger on the day you buy it, and scrub the shell well if you plan to serve in it.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
For the topping
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Twist off the legs and claws of the 1 cooked spider crab or brown crab, about 1.5 kg (or 400 g picked crab meat and 4 ramekins), crack them and pick out all the meat. Lift off the top shell, scoop out the brown meat, and pick the white meat from the body, removing the grey feathery gills and any bits of shell. Keep the meat chilled. Scrub the top shell if serving in it.
25 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Cook 1 onion, 1 leek, 1 carrot and 2 cloves garlic for 15 minutes, stirring, until very soft and sweet but not brown.
15 minStep 3: Add 2 ripe tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until thick and jammy, with no liquid running when you draw a spoon through.
10 minStep 4: Stir in the crab meat, ½ tsp salt and 1 pinch cayenne pepper. Pour in the 2 tbsp brandy (optional; or crab cooking water) and simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the alcohol has cooked off and the mixture is thick and moist.
5 minStep 5: Heat the grill to high. Spoon the filling into the shell or ramekins, smooth the top, sprinkle with 3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs and dot with ⅔ oz butter.
5 minStep 6: Bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, then grill for 2–3 minutes until the crumbs are golden and the filling is bubbling and piping hot in the centre (167°F). Sprinkle with 1 tbsp chopped parsley and serve hot.
13 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does txangurro a la donostiarra take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of leek?
- 1 onion per leek.
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