Mudcrabs

To boil a mudcrab, place the live creature in the freezer for 30-45 minutes then bring it out. Add 250 g white sugar and 250 g pure salt to 5-6 litres cold water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar as the water heats. When condensation appears on the crab’s shell, lower it into the boiling solution and simmer for 18 minutes per kilogram.

Remove to a sink and cool under cold running water for a few minutes. Crack the cap of the body and each joint of the claws using the blunt edge of a cleaver, a meat mallet or, best of all, a rolling pin, then turn upside-down to drain in a colander. If shelling is to be postponed, be sure the crab has cooled thoroughly before refrigerating.