CRAB
Crabs belong to the crustacean family that also includes shrimps, lobsters, and crayfish. Crabs are different in that they don't have any tails and insteadd carry a very big body that contains their chest and head. They are also equipped with claws so they can hold and crush their food. Crab meat is very tasty, with some apparent sweetness coming from glutamate, and the tenderness that we all love. The meat from claws is not as good as the meat from other parts of the crab (legs and chest), with exception of some species like Florida stone crab or fiddler crab from Europe. Usually, crabs are sold cooked or alive, and in the case of the latter they just need to be cooked in boiling water and then cut up to get the meat out. The red meat of the crab may or may not be eaten, it depends on personal taste (it's actually not muscles but the crab's glands and other organs that keep the animal alive). There is also the prized crab liver or so-called crab butter - filled with digestive enzymes and fatty substances, kind of crab foie gras although not really the same. Because of this liver - packed with digestive power - crabs must be sold either cooked or alive, because killing them and letting them rest will quickly spoil the meat attacked by the liver enzymes.
A different kind of crab is the so-called soft-shell crab that is in season during spring and summer, and they can be found (that is the popular ones) in Venice or along the East Coast of America. These crabs are so soft they can be eaten whole after, as is common, a brief frying in a pan. Soft-shell crabs are the ones that just go through the molding process and have lost their harad shell.
If you purchase a living crab, they will keep alive for a few days in cold and moist compartment - but check frequently so they don't die and then lay around for another day. As soon as they die they can still be cooked, but the longer you wait - see above for the liver notification. Before you cook the crab you can kill it (it's more humane perhaps). Also, killing it makes the meat more tender and not so watery. Kill the crab by placing it on its back and locating a small flap on the back of the shell. Lift it up and a small hole will be revealed. Take a metal stick or a srewdriver and drive it through the hole until it hits the crab's top shell, then move the stick forcefully towards the back of the shell and then remove the stick. Turn the crab over and let it drain. Now you can cook it.
Crab is not very difficult to prepare - it's just a matter of cooking it (if it's alive) and then getting out the meat. Prepare a big pan of boiling water with some salt in it. Throw the crab in and cook for about 20 minutes for a regular sized crab (up to 1 kg/2 lb) and longer for bigger crabs (30 min for 2 kg/4 lb, etc.). Then throw out the water and wash the crab with plenty of water to remove any proteins on it. Cool it and start to get out the meat. First, remove the legs and claws from the body by simply twisting them. Then take the main body with your both hands and knock the bottom side on a board, then with force crack the body in the middle so that the belly opens up. Remove the inner parts you don't need - the stomach behind the mouth, the gills, and anything you don't want to eat. Then remove the rest of the flesh and put into a bowl. Use a spoon if you think it's more convenient. The legs and claws can be opened by knocking them with a pin or hammer, or if they are soft enough by cutting them open with scissors.
Crab is good with avocado, chiles, chives, bacon, corn, coriander, creme fraiche, curry, lemon, mustard, parsley, pepper, potatoes, or tomatoes, just to mention a few possible combinations. Soft-shell crabs are often served fried with some lemon juice or lime. You can also try some more exotic combinations with mangoes or oranges, or grapefruit.