This sweet and briny crab esquites recipe is inspired by Mexican street food, a grilled corn dish that we’ve glorified with the addition of Alaskan crab, whether you're using Dungeness or snow crab. Made at home, there’s no grill required — you’ll be recreating an easy version of this dish by cooking freshly-shucked corn kernels in a hot cast-iron pan, where they’ll caramelize from the heat and pick up a hint of that charred, street-side flavor.
The Best Way to Pick Crab Meat from Alaskan Crab
Picking the meat from is the most labor intensive aspect of this recipe and is best done with a friend in the kitchen. However, any variety of crab from Wild Alaskan Company is pre-scored to make this task easy to do without any tools. Simply defrost crab legs, snap open the shells, then collect the meat in a separate bowl.
If picking through an entire bag of crab seems too time consuming, the amount of crab used in the dish can be halved — with half the crab meat in the dish, you’ll still be able to put together a delicious platter of crab esquites. Any unpicked, defrosted crab legs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, while crab legs that are still completely frozen can simply be returned to the freezer for another use.
What Can You Do With Crab Shells?
Discard snow crab shells. Or, better yet, reserve them to add flavor to a simple stock for use in dishes like Crab Risotto. Refreeze shells in a freezer bag until you’re ready to use them (try to use them within 3 months).
To make a quick crab stock, dump the shells into a pot with a bit of butter or olive oil, straight from the freezer. Toast them over medium heat for about 10 minutes, then add water and veggie scraps (carrot and onion ends, trimmings from celery, any spare herbs) and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, then strain out the solids. Voila!
What Is a Good Subtitute for Cotija Cheese and Crema Fresca?
Crema fresca and cotija cheese are classic toppings for esquites. If you can’t find them at your local markets, sour cream and feta can be used instead. Crema fresca is a bit tangier than sour cream, while cotija cheese has a different texture than feta, but any combination of what you can find will do the trick.
Pro tip: If not using crema fresca, try subbing in "Kewpie" aka Japanese-style mayo to give the esquites extra tang.
Can I Use Grilled Corn?
Yes, you can substitute corn that's been cooked on the grill for this recipe. Simply cook until no longer raw and charred to your liking, then cut the kernels off the cob to use to make esquites.
