Casco De Sapateira Recheado Recipe
Stuffed Crab, Crab, Prawns, Goose Barnacle, Whelks, Oysters, Clams 'Bulhão Pato', Mussels 'Espanhola', Prawns fried with Garlic
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Ingredients
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Seafood & shells
Frying prawns
Bulhão Pato (clams)
Espanhola (mussels)
Crab stuffing & assembly
Finishing & garnish
Method
Seafood & shells
- 1
Prepare shells and reserve meats
If your crabs are cooked whole, remove the top carapace and carefully pick the meat from the body and claws. Reserve the cleaned shells (carapaces) for stuffing and the crab meat (about 400 g). Keep shells in the refrigerator. Clean barnacles, whelks, oysters, clams and mussels: discard any open, dead shellfish. Scrub mussels and clams and debeard mussels. Place oysters on ice until ready to use.
- 2
Cook clams and mussels partially
For clams (Bulhão Pato): in a large wide pan add 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil and 4 sliced garlic cloves, warm gently for 30 seconds (do not brown). Add the 500 g clams, 120 ml dry white wine, cover and steam over high heat for 5–6 minutes until clams open. Remove clams with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve the cooking liquor. For mussels (Espanhola): in another pan heat 2 tbs olive oil, add the chopped onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add chopped tomato, 120 ml white wine and 1 tsp paprika, bring to a simmer, add the mussels, cover and cook 4–5 minutes until mussels open. Remove mussels to a bowl and reserve their cooking juices separately. Strain both cooking juices through a fine sieve into a measuring cup and set aside (you will use about 150–200 ml combined). Discard any unopened shells.
Frying prawns
- 3
Fry garlic prawns
Pat prawns dry. In a large skillet heat 100 ml olive oil and 30 g butter over medium-high heat. Add the 6 sliced garlic cloves and fry just until fragrant and starting to color (30–45 seconds). Add the prawns and fry 1–2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir in 3 tbs chopped parsley and remove prawns to a plate. Spoon some of the garlic oil over the prawns to keep them moist and set aside. Reserve garlic oil for the stuffing if desired.
Bulhão Pato (clams)
- 4
Finish Bulhão Pato
Return reserved clams to the pan with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 4 tbs chopped cilantro/parsley. Warm through quickly for 30 seconds, toss to coat in the garlic–wine sauce, and transfer clams (with some sauce) to a small serving bowl or portion that will be used to top the stuffed crab shells.
Espanhola (mussels)
- 5
Finish Espanhola
Taste the mussel tomato–wine sauce and adjust salt (about 1/2 tsp). Stir in 2 tbs chopped parsley. Keep mussels warm in their sauce; set aside several nice mussels in shells for decorating the crab casques and chop the rest (meat) coarsely for the stuffing.
Crab stuffing & assembly
- 6
Prepare stuffing base
In a bowl combine 400 g reserved crab meat, chopped cooked mussel meat (from the mussels), about half the clams (shuck and chop if large), and chopped whelks (about 200 g). Add 1 finely chopped shallot, 2 sliced green onions, 100 g breadcrumbs, 3 tbs mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Add 1 tsp hot sauce if using. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix gently to combine — you want the mixture moist but not soupy. If mixture seems dry, add 1–2 tbs of the reserved cooking juices (strained) or a spoonful of the garlic oil from the prawns.
- 7
Add prawns and oysters
Chop about half of the fried prawns into bite-sized pieces and fold them into the stuffing. Roughly chop 4 of the shucked oysters and fold them in as well, reserving the remaining whole oysters for garnish if desired.
- 8
Fill shells
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the cleaned crab carapaces lightly with 1 tbs olive oil and place them on a baking tray. Spoon the crab–seafood stuffing into each shell, mounding slightly. Sprinkle a light layer of additional breadcrumbs on top if you want a slight crust and brush the tops with a little olive oil or melted butter.
- 9
Bake
Bake the stuffed crab shells in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until hot through and the top is golden. Watch closely so breadcrumbs don’t burn.
Finishing & garnish
- 10
Plate and garnish
Arrange the baked stuffed crab casques on a platter. Scatter the reserved whole mussels and oysters decoratively around the shells. Spoon some Bulhão Pato clams with their sauce around and over the shells for moisture and flavor. Place the remaining fried prawns alongside or nestle a couple on top of each stuffed shell. Sprinkle 2 tbs chopped parsley and 1 tbs chopped chives over everything and dust lightly with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Serve with lemon wedges.
- 11
Serve
Serve immediately so the various components remain warm: the baked crab stuffing, garlicky fried prawns, steamy clams and mussels. Offer extra crusty bread to soak up the sauces.