King crab ◆

Crabe royal

What it is

A giant whose legs can span nearly two metres, fished in some of the deadliest waters on Earth. Soviet scientists released it near Murmansk in the 1960s; it marched west into Norwegian fjords, where fishermen — torn between plague and windfall — still call it “Stalin’s crab”.

In the kitchen

The legs hold all the treasure and are nearly always sold cooked: never boil them again. Warm them gently in butter or serve them cold with lemon — anything more is vandalism.

Goes with

Butter Lemon Ginger Chives

In season alongside

Sea urchin Abalone American lobster Arctic char Clam Common prawn

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