A few years ago, this was my Birthday dinner....

[yuiyoshida]

A whole dungeness crab and Maine Lobster. Best meal ever, and I went though a lot of melted butter with lemon squeezings. But I thought, I would never do it again, because it was too rich of a meal for me. I brought the left overs home in a bag, and later made a crab lobster soup, which turned out quite well.

Plus, these days the prices for both are though the roof. I never did eat the side orders, but I did get an extra lobster bib to take home, and of course took this photo. I can say that at one time, I ate (imho) the best meal ever, and here is the proof!


Also note, the Lobster will always taste superior to me, but unlike the Crab, there is never enough meat. The crab has much more, but you need a nutcracker to get to all of it. Maybe that's the fun of it, and that bib gets very messy. The food if cracked incorrectly will fly all over the place!

[jberryhill]

1. How did you do up the soup

I'm gonna guess it wasn't a bisque or chowder.

[yuiyoshida]

3. like all soups, you start with a veggie stock

add veggies, and I even added seaweed, in strips, (Japanese style) than, the lobster and crab meat which I had been gathering the whole day from the left over pieces. I added butter, and let it simmer slowly for about an hour, (Top on the pot)

[jberryhill]

4. Two questions

I have a butt load of nori from not making sushi as often as I expected to.

1. Does it go bad and, if so, how do you tell?

And

2. What else should I use it for that I haven't thought of?

I like "fishy" but I have trouble with "really really fishy" like fish paste.

[yuiyoshida]

5. Nori will go bad, and it loses its

crispyness. It becomes dull and floppy. If you want add it to any soup. You might, depending on where you living, find an Asian grocery store that sells miso in the jar. You can find a recipe for how much miso to add to your home made soup. Than cut the nori in strips and let them sink into the hot soup base. They will add more flavor. I also like to add a fish sauce to the soup, but you must becareful, because fish sauce is far more saltier than soy sauce. You only want to use half a thimble full. That will be enough to give it the Umami taste that is so famous. Perhaps some bonito flakes too if you can find them. They are also used in making excellent Miso soup.


Bonito Flakes.


miso

[jberryhill]

6. Thanks

Yeah we have a really good market in an old warehouse that looks like China and Mexico got married and had Japan, India and Korea as babies.

It's the only place I know where I can get Pocari Sweat by the case.

[GP6971]

2. Early on, we went camping

in Maine and on Thursday of the week we went to Portland and got fresh lobsters. Cooked them over the grill with baked potatoes and corn. fond memories. We also had soft shell crabs...no comparison to dungeness though.

[flotsam]

7. I was raised near a marsh in Connecticut...

...on weekends Dad would go down to the marsh and bring home a half bushel bucket of crabs and a smaller basket of wild asparagus....this was the free bounty of nature. I quake to think what you would have to pay to eat like that every summer weekend.
edit:sp

[yuiyoshida]

8. i figure the meal I photographed above

has to run about 60 dollars. The crab and lobster nearly 30 dollars apiece.. not to mention
the drinks thrown in, (diet Pepsi) and the hot bread and butter served. This crab and Lobster would feed two people but its really set up for one person at this Restaurant on Pier 39, SFCA.
Chart House Restaurant
https://www.opentable.com/r/chart-house-restaurant-san-francisco?cmpid=poi_page_referral

I know for sure I didn't pay that price back than. But, prices go up as their stock depletes.