Crab tomalley (kani miso)

Crème de crabe (kani miso)

What it is

Kani miso is named for what it looks like: there is no miso in it, only the crab’s hepatopancreas, which does the work of both liver and pancreas. Because that organ filters, it concentrates whatever the water holds — which is why health authorities in red-tide seasons tell people to eat the meat and leave the tomalley.

In the kitchen

Scrape it out warm and whisk it into the pan sauce off the heat — it emulsifies like an egg yolk and gives a bisque body without flour. Boiled hard it splits into grains, so add it last.

Goes with

Brown crab Butter Cream Cognac Rice Lemon Junmai sake Tomato

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