What is crab caviar, can you eat it? Composition, benefits and possible harm. How to salt the product, proven recipes for snacks with crab caviar.
Crab caviar is a real delicacy that combines a pleasant and interesting taste, and is also very healthy. If the meat of a short-tailed crayfish is very highly valued, then such a product is not familiar to everyone, since it is not obtained separately - it is expensive and illegal. To appreciate its merits, first of all, it is necessary to cook it correctly. In this case, caviar will probably want to be included in the menu on an ongoing basis.
Composition and calorie content of crab caviar
In the photo crab caviar
Not all seafood lovers know in principle whether they eat crab caviar. Even if it occurs, some do not taste it, believing that it is something inedible. However, improper cooking will spoil the whole impression. A very delicate and painstaking moment is a thorough preliminary rinsing.
Caviar looks different, depending on the type of crab, and its taste also differs, which depends on factors such as the crustacean habitat, its diet. In addition, the product differs in the size of the eggs. For example, the Kamchatka crab, which is also called royal crab, is most valued in cooking (since the middle of the 20th century it has been bred in the Barents Sea and delivered to the best restaurants in the world), its caviar is similar to grapes, and in its raw form it is light purple in color.
The smell of the product is slightly fishy. The taste is specific, slightly bitter. But the taste shades are significantly different, depending on what kind of crab, where it lived.
The calorie content of crab caviar is 90 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Protein - 11 g;
- Fat - 1 g;
- Carbohydrates - 7 g;
- Cholesterol 34 mg
Like other seafood, crab is prized for its rich composition. Its caviar contains a whole range of valuable substances:
- Amino acids;
- Vitamins - C, B12, B2, E, PP;
- Minerals - phosphorus and magnesium, calcium and iron, sulfur and copper.
The value of the product lies in the fact that it is rich in protein, so recipes with crab caviar are readily used by athletes. It accounts for 11 g per 100 g. But at the same time, such a delicacy contains a minimum of calories.
The product is difficult to find on the free market, but some companies offer to order it in raw or salted form. The price of crab caviar for 250 g starts at 700 rubles.
Useful properties of crab caviar
Crab caviar is not only nutritious and tasty, but also the most useful product. In general, it has a beneficial effect on the body, increasing the supply of vital energy, strengthening the immune system. In addition, adding a delicacy to the diet, you can notice the following positive effects:
- Improving memory and concentration;
- Easy falling asleep and sound sleep;
- Normalization of metabolism.
The product helps to replenish the lack of vitamins and minerals, due to this, the work of the hormonal system is improved. In parallel, the walls of blood vessels are strengthened. It also benefits the heart, genitourinary system, joints and bones.
Crab caviar is rich in iodine, like other seafood. Therefore, adding foods with such an ingredient to the diet is beneficial for the thyroid gland. It is also a natural aphrodisiac.
Crab caviar can be eaten by almost everyone, without exception. She will supply all the necessary elements for healthy and harmonious development into the child's body. For the elderly, it will be useful, as it will support the defenses, preventing infectious ailments, and will also serve as a factor that inhibits aging.
In addition, pregnant women can eat crab caviar, since in general there are no contraindications for women carrying children. But if pathologies are observed, it is better to consult with your doctor.
Since the product combines high value due to its high protein content with low calorie content, it is indicated for athletes. With such foods, it is easier to make up for the lack of an element responsible for the construction of muscle fibers, without worrying that the fat layer will grow in parallel.
Contraindications and harm to crab caviar
Most often, crab caviar, due to its many beneficial properties, only strengthens and heals the body. But there are also exceptions. If a person is allergic to seafood, don't experiment. The same applies to individual intolerance to caviar.
In addition, the benefits or harms of a product are determined by its quality. And it depends on the living conditions of the crustaceans, compliance with the rules for preparing caviar. If you are confident that a product is environmentally friendly, you can count on it to only promote health, not harm.
Since seafood is most often served salted, there are restrictions for people with kidney and cardiovascular diseases. In general, for any chronic illness, it is best to consult a doctor individually.
Due to the high cholesterol content, the product must be consumed in dosage in order to avoid blockage of blood vessels and problems with blood pressure and heart.
How to pickle crab caviar?
Like any other type of caviar, this product is readily salted. In this form, it best reveals its taste. There are different recipes, including the addition of additional ingredients, but you can start with the simplest option to try what the product tastes like in its pure form.
How to salt crab caviar in the traditional way:
- Rinse the product under running water.
- Boil water separately in a saucepan, which should be 2 times more than caviar.
- Remove the boiling water from the heat, gradually introducing and stirring the salt.
- Then put the caviar in small portions in a saucepan.
It is important to stir the liquid constantly to prevent the product from hardening. How much to keep caviar in salt water depends on how long you plan to store it. If the dish is put on the table soon, 7-10 minutes of salting will be enough. For long-term storage, caviar is kept in brine for up to half an hour.
Note! The product must not be immersed in boiling water! In this case, it will simply cook and harden.
After keeping the caviar in brine, it is thrown into a metal sieve. When the water is drained, add a little olive oil. Next, you can send the salting to the banks, which must be sterilized first. The best storage place is the refrigerator.
You can salt the product using not only salt, but also sugar. Everything starts in the same way: we prepare the crab caviar for salting, rinsing it thoroughly, and let the water boil separately in a saucepan. Only in this case they put both salt and sugar in it. When the solution cools down a little, caviar is dipped into it. Stir and incubate for a quarter of an hour. Then you can decant the water and transfer the salting to a convenient container. It will be kept in the refrigerator with a tightly closed lid.
Important! Before preparing crab caviar, it is useful to know in what conditions it can be stored. Only a glass container is suitable, since the taste deteriorates from a metal one. The product is not deep-frozen, as both taste and benefits are lost. But even at positive temperatures, it is not stored. The optimal temperature regime is 2 degrees below zero.
Crab caviar recipes
There are not many ways to cook crab caviar, as this dish rarely appears on the table. If you can buy it, you can try the following recipes for snacks:
- With eggs, feta cheese and green onions … First you need to thoroughly rinse the caviar. Next, boil hard-boiled eggs, finely chop green onions. These ingredients are mixed with caviar, a little vegetable oil is added, salt to taste. It is worth soaking the feta cheese in advance, often changing the water. The goal is to soften the cheese. By combining and mixing all the ingredients, you get a spicy spread on bread.
- With onions and cream … According to this recipe, crab caviar is combined with finely chopped onions. Then add salt, pepper, cream. While stirring the dish, it is important not to damage the eggs. Before serving, the appetizer must be kept in the refrigerator for about an hour.
- With lemon and herbs … Salt, black pepper are added to the caviar, the juice is squeezed out of the lemon. After stirring, put the mass in the refrigerator for 2 hours. After that, it remains to get a treat, sprinkle with finely chopped herbs and serve.
- With butter … If you managed to buy crab caviar, you can make a very quick and quite tasty spread after salting. To do this, you need to hold the butter at room temperature so that it becomes soft. Then it is mixed with caviar - everything is ready.
- With olive oil and garlic … If there is a fresh product, only from the belly of the crab, you can prepare a delicious snack very quickly. To do this, add salt, olive oil, finely chopped garlic. After mixing, you can spread the resulting mass on brown bread croutons.
Interesting facts about crab caviar
It is curious that the breeding of crabs is seasonal in nature, but it is also tied to natural phenomena. Some species live far from the water, but before laying eggs they go to the surf line.
Mating can occur only once, and then female crabs lay eggs for almost their entire life. The fact is that the sex cells from the male come "packed" into special bags, in which they retain their viability for many years.
Crabs are very prolific. They lay millions of eggs. Bearing takes place on the female's abdominal legs. It lasts from a couple of weeks to several months. As soon as small crabs hatch, they will have an independent life. For the overwhelming majority, it is very short, since the cubs quickly die or are eaten.
What does crab caviar look like - watch the video:
With an eye on the nutritional value, it is worth trying crab caviar, choosing at your discretion how to cook it. While many are delighted with the product, there are skeptics who find nothing special in its taste. But the health benefits are guaranteed.
