Caranguejada Cearense com Vinagrete e Farofa

📜 Ingredients

• •whole, cleaned crabs from a legal source8 large crabs🔁 not applicable — Caranguejada's identity depends on serving the whole crab in its shell.
• •water2.5 liters (10 1/2 cups), or enough to cover the crabs
• •diced onion2 medium onions
• •diced tomato4 medium tomatoes
• •diced green bell pepper1 medium green bell pepper
• •crushed garlic4 cloves
• •chopped aromatic chile peppers2 small peppers, seeded, or to taste
• •chopped cilantro1 cup
• •chopped scallions1/2 cup
• •salt1 tablespoon, or to taste
• •limes, quartered3 limes
• •vinaigrette1 1/2 cups
• •toasted cassava flour1 1/2 cups🔁 white cassava flour, toasted at home — Home-toasted flour comes close in crunch, but may differ in texture and aroma.
• 🧈manteiga de garrafa2 tablespoons🔁 regular butter — The farofa will remain flavorful, but less aromatic.
• •sliced onion1/2 small onion

👨‍🍳 Method

1. 1

   Wash the whole, cleaned crabs from a legal source under running water, brushing the shells gently. Discard any crab with a strong odor, a broken shell or questionable origin.

   Responsible purchasing is part of the recipe: respect the closed season and favor suppliers who disclose origin and harvesting practices.

2. 2

   In a large pot over high heat, bring the water, 1 diced onion, 2 tomatoes, the bell pepper, garlic, aromatic chile pepper, half the cilantro, scallions and salt to a boil. After a vigorous boil of about 8–10 minutes, the broth will be fragrant and ready for the crabs.

   Taste the broth before adding the crabs; it should be well seasoned, as it is what carries flavor into the meat.

3. 3

   Add the crabs to the boiling broth, cover and cook over medium heat for 20–25 minutes, until their shells turn bright and the meat comes away easily. Avoid cooking longer, as the meat loses tenderness.

   Keep the broth at a steady boil without letting it overflow; if necessary, cook in two batches.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: combine the remaining onion, 2 diced tomatoes, a little cilantro, salt, the juice of 1 lime and a drizzle of olive oil. Let it rest for 10 minutes, until the onion loses its bite.

   Serve the vinaigrette fresh; it should bring acidity and crunch, not turn into a watery sauce.

5. 5

   For the farofa, heat the manteiga de garrafa over low heat for 1 minute, until fragrant. Sauté the sliced onion for 3–4 minutes, until translucent. Add the toasted cassava flour and stir for 2–3 minutes, until evenly heated and loose.

   If the flour is already deeply toasted, heat it only as much as needed so it does not turn bitter.

6. 6

   Lift the crabs out with a slotted spoon and arrange them in a deep serving dish, ladling broth over them. Finish with cilantro, then bring limes, vinaigrette and farofa to the table. On Quinta do Caranguejo, as at any gathering, the best accompaniment is time to open shells and talk.

   Set out bowls for the shells and plenty of napkins; eating crab is part of the table's playfulness.