Crab

Twist off the claws and legs, then lift the body from the shell and discard the grey gills and stomach sac. Crack the claws with a nutcracker or the back of a heavy knife, and pick the meat from the body cavities with a small fork.

Refrigerate it promptly in a covered container and use it within 1–2 days. You can freeze picked crab meat for around 2–3 months; thaw it in the fridge and use it soon after.

Use picked crab in crab cakes, crab linguine or a crab sandwich. For dressed crab, serve the white meat and brown meat separately in the cleaned shell, with lemon and toast.

Yes: chopped cooked prawns work in crab cakes, sandwiches and pasta, though they are firmer and less sweet. For a flaky texture in crab cakes, cooked white fish is another useful substitute.

Avoid raw or undercooked crab: cooking it thoroughly reduces the risk from harmful germs and parasites. If you are using cooked crab in a hot dish, heat it until steaming hot throughout.

Choose one that is lively and responsive, with all its legs attached and no strong unpleasant smell. If you are buying cooked crab, the shell should be intact and the meat should smell fresh and briny, not sour.

A 100 g portion of crab provides 17 g of protein.