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by Carole S. Kotkin

For a brief seven months (from October 15 to May 15) I and other stone crab aficionados in Florida are in seafood paradise. Of all the varieties of shellfish found in Florida's pristine waters, none can compare in taste with the glorious Florida Stone Crab. I've recently discovered that with one phone call, I can send my crab lover friends all over the country a feast of the very freshest, sweetest, biggest, most succulent Florida stone crab claws I've ever tasted. You don't have to wait to receive a for a gift from me, because you may order home delivery of Florida Stone Crab Claws and other Florida seafood delicacies by calling FRANCESCA'S FAVORITES toll-free at 1-800-865-2722. FRANCESCA'S catalog offers the discriminating seafood gourmet a bounty of fresh selections that will be a welcome addition to your winter entertainment menus.

For those of you unfamiliar with the stone crab, it is a large non-swimming crab with a hard orange and white oval-shaped shell and large black tipped claws filled with rich, sweet, firm- textured meat.

Nearly all the edible meat is in the large claws and Florida law makes it illegal to harvest whole stone crabs.  After capturing the crabs in traps,  fishermen simply twist off the larger of the two claws and throw the live crab back into the water . In about 18 months the remaining  smaller claw will grow large and plump and a new claw will grow to replace the lost one (called a "retread"). During the life of a stone crab, the same claw may be regenerated three or four times.

Because of FRANCESCA'S commitment to freshness, the crabs claws are delivered daily to their federally inspected processing facility within a few hours of having been caught .  Once on shore FRANCESCA'S fishermen weigh, wash , boil and chill the stone crabs; and then with the utmost care, they are packed on ice and shipped overnight to customers via Federal Express. When they reach your kitchen the next day you will find everything you need for a Stone Crab banquet -- wooden mallet, mustard sauce, recipes from 3 of the nation's outstanding chefs and a free subscription to Simply Seafood magazine. To add to your special evening, a classical music CD is included with each order. .

FRANCESCA'S guarantees all deliveries to arrive in perfect condition. FRANCESCA'S FAVORITES stone crab claws are never frozen because freezing causes the meat to adhere to the shell. FRANCESCA'S CHEFS' CHOICE packs 12-14 luscious stone crab claws per order. When they arrive, store the crabs in the coldest part of your refrigerator where they will remain fresh for two or three days. Without giving away the surprise, gift givers may want to alert their friends that something requiring special care is heading their way.

Just before serving, place some claws in a tightly closed plastic bag (so the shell won't scatter), crack the claw and all the joints with a mallet. Remove the shell and moveable pincer, leaving the meat attached to the remaining pincer, which is used as a  handle to dip into a selection of sauces.

 Piled high on stylish serving platters, which can also be ordered from FRANCESCA'S, this Florida delicacy is perfect for informal and effortless entertaining.  Accompanied by melted butter, mustardy sauces, and the traditional hashed browns, crusty bread, coleslaw and key lime pie for dessert this dinner will be a celebration to remember.

TRIAR SEAFOOD, which has provided fresh Florida seafood to the world's best chefs and restaurants for years, launched the FRANCESCA'S FAVORITES catalog for consumers so that you, too, may serve the same quality seafood dishes at home.

FRANCESCA'S FAVORITES catalog offers home and executive shoppers the opportunity to choose from a bounty of hand-picked, Florida seafood year-round.  Succulent gourmet selections--the same quality seafood served by top chefs across the country--seafood-themed companion serving pieces and party and gift packs make up the catalog's contents.  FRANCESCA'S FAVORITES delivers from the dock to your door in 24 hours.  To receive a complimentary catalog, call (800) 865-2722.

FRANCESCA'S PRIZE CATCH

Recipes from Norman Van Aken

"New World Cuisine" chef and cookbook author Norman Van Aken, of Norman's award-winning restaurant in Coral Gables, Florida, says, " Florida Stone Crab might be called the gourmet's ultimate convenience food." As a dynamic chef whose innovative cuisine is centered around a bounty of fresh, regional ingredients, Van Aken  offers some restaurant tips for enjoying Stone Crabs right in our own kitchens. "Cracking stone crabs is a good "tension buster", but when cracking them, remember the goal is to crack the shell without crushing the meat. If you use too much strength, the tiny bits of shell might get imbedded in the meat."  Chef Van Aken believes that the already cooked Stone Crab meat is so sweet and delicious that it needs little embellishment; just serve cold with  with melted butter or a mustard sauce. He choses  a simple salad of hearts of palm and  hash browned potatoes to accompany this South Florida feast.

SWEET POTATO-SWEET CORN HOME FRIES "THAT KICK"

These recipes are excerpted from Norman Van Aken's New World Cuisine cookbook to be published by Random House in 1997.

1 to2 1-pound sweet potatoes, quartered

1  to2 1-pound boniato, quartered (or more sweet potatoes)

1/4 cup annatto oil (or olive oil)

1/4 cup butter

6 cloves of peeled and thinly sliced garlic

2 scotch bonnet chilies (or other hot chilies), stem and seeds discarded, minced

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

6 scallions, white part only, cleaned and chopped into rings

2 cups sweet corn kernels, about  4 ears

salt and black pepper to taste
 

Scrub the sweet potatoes and boniato and cut there into quarters.  Put them into a large pot of cold water with a big pinch of salt over medium-high heat, and bring them to a high simmer.  Allow to cook for about 5-10 minutes minutes (they should still be quite firm).  Now drain  them completely and allow to cool.  When they are cool enough peel them and slice them into 1/2 x 3/4 inch cubes.

Now heat a very large skillet at medium heat and add the olive oil and butter.  When the butter has melted add the garlic and scotch bonnets, stir and lot cook for I more minute.  Now turn up the heat to high and add the onions, scallions and sweet corn.  Stir well to coat and then stir only occasionally.  Season with the salt and pepper.  When the corn is nicely charred (about, 5 minutes) add the prepared sweet potato and boniato.  Stir well, taking care not to crumble the tubers.  Sort of get underneath them and scoop them over until nicely browned.  Turn heat down to medium and cook them about 10 minutes.  They can be kept in a warm place for up to 30 minutes before serving. Serves 6 -8.

COSTA RICAN HEARTS OF PALM & JICAMA SLAW

Norman Van Aken, NORMAN'S, Coral Gables, Florida

Dressing:

1 cup virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

2 teaspoons, freshly toasted and ground coriander seed

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

Slaw

1 cup fresh hearts of palm, peeled and very thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup jicama, peeled and julienned

1/2 of a red bell pepper, stem and seeds discarded, julienned

1/2 of a yellow bell pepper stem and seeds discarded, julienned

1 to2 scotch bonnet chilies (or other hot chilies), minced

1/2 small red onion, peeled and julienned

6 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped

Mix all of the dressing dressing ingredients together in a bowl and pour over the slaw.  Allow to marry at least one lhour in the refrigerator before serving. Serves 6.
 
Photo by Mary McCully
-Updated 2-2 98-

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