Txangurro a la donostiarra – stuffed spider crab, gratinated

Txangurro is the festive dish of San Sebastián: spider crab, picked from the shell and bound in a deep sofrito of onion, leek and tomato with a splash of brandy, returned to its own shell and gratinated until golden brown. A showpiece that tells of the sea.

Fish & Seafood Category
30 MIN Prep time
25 MIN Cook time
4 people Servings
Txangurro a la donostiarra – stuffed spider crab, gratinated

Preparation

Picking the crab meat

Remove the meat from the bodies and legs of the spider crabs; clean and keep the shells.

Sofrito

Sweat the onion and leek in olive oil for 10 minutes until soft and sweet, add the tomato and reduce for 10 minutes. Deglaze with brandy, flambé briefly, pour in the fish stock.

Binding

Fold in the crab meat, season with salt and a touch of cayenne and simmer gently for 5 minutes until the mixture is juicy and bound.

Filling & gratinating

Fill the mixture into the shells, scatter with breadcrumbs and flakes of butter and gratinate in the oven at 200 °C (or under the grill) for 8–10 minutes until golden brown.

Why this wine?

Our Caprice from LaSuite aux Conseillans is the wine for txangurro: its flinty, salty acidity stands up to the tomato and brandy and stays fresh next to the sweet crab meat. In Galicia, Alvarinho has always been drunk with seafood; ours matures for a long time on its fine lees in wood, which gives it depth for the gratinated crust as well.
Good to know

Tips & insights

  • Carefully free the crab meat of cartilage and shell fragments, so the filling stays fine.
  • Slowly soften the sofrito of onion and leek; it is the aromatic base.
  • Reduce the brandy briefly or flambé it, so only the aroma remains and the sharpness of the alcohol fades.
  • Sprinkle the filled shells with breadcrumbs and butter only just before serving and bake until golden brown.
  • Season with cayenne sparingly, so the sweetness of the crab meat is preserved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which wine goes with txangurro?

A salty, fresh white wine, the kind people drink with crab on Spain's Atlantic coast. We recommend our Caprice from LaSuite aux Conseillans, a wood-aged Alvarinho from the Bordeaux region. Its acidity stands up to the tomato and brandy and keeps the sweet crab meat in the foreground.

Can I use other crab meat instead of spider crab?

Yes. Brown crab or ready-picked crab meat work well, about 400 grams for four people. You will then only be missing the shells for filling; small ovenproof dishes or scallop shells do the job just as well.

Does the brandy have to be flambéed?

Flambéing burns off the alcohol quickly and leaves only the aroma in the sofrito. If you'd rather not flambé, let the brandy reduce uncovered for two or three minutes before adding the fish stock.

Can I prepare txangurro in advance?

The filling can be made a few hours ahead and spooned into the shells. Keep them chilled and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and butter just before serving. Straight from the fridge they need a few extra minutes in the oven until the filling is hot and the top is golden.

The wine to pair

See all wines for this category

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