Crabwich, Open Face Crab Sandwich

Ahh the life of the recreational fishermen!  Departing Birch Bay Village Marina in Blaine, we search for dungeness crab at Marine Area 7 North, in the Gulf of Georgia. We have been enjoying an open season on a Thursday through Monday schedule. Marine Area 7 North closes on September 30th. We've had a good run, soaked in lots of sun & enjoyed our time out there, but it's hard to imagine that our season will be over soon.

A few hazards that we've avoided this year are lost or stolen pots. The same can't be said for poaching. We've encountered 3 instances where the lid of the bait box wasn't attached or in our crab pot. What does this mean, exactly? The bait boxes with lids, located inside the crab pots, are designed to screw-on/off and this means that to remove the lid you need to unscrew it.  In summary, the poachers stole the crab out of our pots, stole the bait and the lid or tossed the lid and bait overboard. Next, they threw the pot back in the water. This was mighty kind of them, as they could have stolen the pots like they did last year. Until the market manufacturers an affordable waterproof mini camera/GPS to spy on the dirt bags who steal, all I can do is vent about it. So thanks for reading!

 How do we use the crab that we catch? One of our favorite ways to enjoy fresh dungeness is to make a sandwich spread to serve on English muffins.

This is my Mom's recipe (she's an incredibly talented cook) and I'm pleased to share it with you.

My Mom, Dad & Son

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup of lump crab meat
• 4 English muffins (split in half to make 8 pieces)
• 1/4 cup real mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup diced red pepper
• 1/4 cup diced green onion
• a few drops of Tabasco
• a few drops of Worcestershire
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar/pepper jack (reserve a bit for sprinkling on top before baking)

Place the English muffin halves on a baking sheet and broil on low for 3-4 minutes or until toasted lightly brown. Remove and set aside.

Mix all ingredients and spoon on top of the English muffins halves. Sprinkle with Cheese. 

 Bake at 375 on the top rack for about 7 minutes or until heated and cheese on top is melted.

Serves: 4