Darina Allen: The most delightful ways to enjoy Irish crab meat

I’m happy to eat them freshly cooked with maybe a little homemade mayo and some warm soda bread but they also make a fantastic shellfish soup.

French fish soup Bouillabaisse with seafood, salmon fillet, shrimp, rich flavor, delicious dinner. Close up.

I’m writing this column from lovely West Cork. I’ve been fortunate, the weather has been wonderful, sunny days and long balmy evenings to enjoy leisurely suppers in the shade of the ash tree.

I love to explore the islands and watch out for fishermen hauling in their pots on the way back to Baltimore Harbour. A few days ago, we drew
up beside a little trawler hoping for a few mackerel, no such luck, they are incredibly scarce this year but he had just hauled in his pots and had a bucket full of velvet swimming crabs. What a treat! Most people don’t bother with them as they’re small and extracting the sweet meat is fiddly, but I love picking at the little crevices and cracking the legs to enjoy the tiny morsels of white meat. I also love the teaspoon or two of brown meat in the shell.