The Dessert of Proteins
A paradigm shift in your approach to eating occurs when you cleanse your body by eating clean, by following Paleo Lifestyle Design. Eating habits from the past, like ‘Dessert’ or ‘Cheat Meals’, disappear when you actually experience the joys of satiety. Cravings honestly disappear. A perfect time to talk about “The Dessert of Proteins”.
I first heard the phrase echoed within the confines of the exquisitely clean and secure Washington Crab Producers in Westport, Washington earlier this month while on site with a client who was inspecting the harvest and processing of Dungeness Crab for his six Puget Sound area restaurants called “Duke’s“. We were afforded an exclusive behind the scenes look at how Dungeness Crab are harvested, processed and brought to market. Duke Moscrip, the owner/operator of the iconic northwest restaurant chain is known throughout the country for his ‘passion for the best’ and regularly inspects his restaurants’ food sources at the very source. Each year Duke travels to Copper River, Alaska to personally inspect the catch, choose the very best fish to be served at his restaurants. In early February, Westport was the home for Duke’s inspection of the Dungeness.
CLICK PIX for a delicious Crab recipe from itsPALEO.com
Pacific Seafoods keeps an amazing facility here, and as we were sampling this incredible creature fresh from the sea, “The Dessert of Proteins” was whispered and we all knowingly nodded our heads in total understanding.
Dungeness Crab is native to the waters off Washington state and southeast Alaska, has a sweet taste and delicate texture, as well as good nutritional value. The crab’s shell has a purple-brown color, averaging 6 to 7 inches across. “Dungeness” is a town in Washington in which the crab is named and was the location of the first commercial Dungeness crab harvest.
This is important…ALL CRAB MEAT IS NOT CREATED EQUAL. Like any meat, particular ‘cuts’ or ‘varieties’ can make all the difference in the world. Dungeness crab belong to a group of animals called crustaceans meaning they have an exoskeleton or shell that protects their bodies. This shell is called the carapace. A crab’s body is made up of a head, thorax, and abdomen. The head and thorax are merged together under the carapace. Throughout all this, their is crab meat of course. But I’m leading you to dessert…
A ten-footed crustacean, or decapod, crabs have five pair of legs attached to the thorax. The two front legs are called chelipeds. They have a pair of claws on them that the crab uses to defend itself and to tear apart food. Behind these are four pairs of walking legs, each with a pointed foot. At the rear of the thorax is the crab’s abdomen, which is no more than a small flap in most crabs. These legs, or more importantly, one particular portion of the leg is where we’re heading…
We watched as a crab boat unloaded, by hand, some 17,000 pounds of this amazing sea creature. An entire hull of 2.5 pound Dungeness Crab that is systematically processed, from boat to packaging, by hand. It was an incredible site to see bins of crab sorted, washed, sectioned, and then distributed to this large room, about 150 feet by 100 feet, filled with workers “shaking” the meat from shell.
From this shaking, ‘The Dessert of Proteins’ is produced.
The Dessert of Proteins heading to market
Remember all those legs? Well, in what we might call the ‘thigh’ of these legs is a section of meat called the ‘Fry Leg’. In a 2 pound crab, this ‘Fry Leg’ piece is about the size of your thumb. This is ‘The Dessert of Protein’.
Not only are these miracle nuggets of nature good for you, they’re honestly so sweet and seductive, smooth and slightly salty, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better ‘dessert’ in Paleo Lifestyle Design. And, because Dungeness Crab is both seasonal and in limited supply, it fits perfectly within seasonal eating.
Here’s the kicker: You can’t buy fresh Dungeness Crab Fry Leg sections at any grocery store. The Dessert of Proteins is typically purchased by specialty local retailers, and iconic eateries like Duke’s where the chefs take these morsels of magnificent meat and present them in a myriad of incredible Paleo-friendly fare. Duke’s stays true to the meat and delights at the first view of the plate. You just need to know where to go.
The night of this inspection we were treated to an incredible feast of Dungeness Crab at ‘The One Eyed Crab’ in Westport, including appetizers featuring Dungeness, a crab chowder, crab salad, and the main entree of a whole Dungeness caught by our waitress’ Uncle. Incredible experience. When in Westport eat at The One Eyed Crab.
Nutritional information? Check this out:
A 3oz portion of cooked meat has 19g of protein and contains important minerals and amino acids. It is low in both fat and calories, as well as cholesterol and carbohydrates.
Serving Size: 3oz. (Cooked)
Calories 94
Protein 19g
Carbohydrates 0.81g Total Fat 1.06g
Cholesterol 64mg Sodium 321mg
Ok, it’s a bit high in sodium, but it’s ‘Dessert’, Right?
So it’s February, the Dungeness Crab harvest is in, and it’s time for Dessert. Eat Clean.
Here’s Duke himself inspecting the Dungeness Crab BEFORE they’re even unloaded for processing…
