I have known Robert Hermanson and Linda Rust for many years. They’re longtime family friends and, for much of that time, our neighbors just around the corner off Route 30. The interview took place on a perfect summer Saturday — sunny, warm, and free of the heavy humidity we often get here.
Around noon, I sat with Linda while my son Palmer played in the most beautiful wooden treehouse, adorned with stained glass and equipped with a long, steep metal slide that Robert built, celebrating his third birthday with the kind of joy only a child can have.
As we talked, Linda’s face lit up with a memory. She began telling me about her Aunt Ida — a wonderful crabber who loved to cook — and about a recipe I had never heard of before: crab and dumplings.
It made perfect sense to me. These waterways have held crab for far longer than Delaware has been an industrial chicken hub. This region is rich in both, so why wouldn’t someone make crab and dumplings? To my chef’s mind, the pairing was beautiful — the sweet flavor of fresh crab permeating a slick, tender dumpling, the richness of lard in the dough adding indulgent depth. It reminded me of the balance in a perfect bowl of Japanese ramen: comfort layered with complexity.
Aunt Ida sounds like my kind of girl. She had a quick sense of humor, loved gardening, and enjoyed cooking sweet and savory dishes. She crabbed whenever possible, even studying the tides and moon cycles. She loved to crab off her dock and had secret “crab honey holes” where the monster crabs hung out in droves. In January 1981, the Delmarva Farmer named her “Cook of the Month,” praising her kitchen talents. Now, many years later, I have the honor of writing about her.
Part of her approach to crabs was as practical as it was delicious. She would rip the back off the crabs and cook the legs separately for the kids, ensuring they got the best of the sweet meat without the fuss. Cooking them this way made for perfectly done crab and allowed the seasoning to penetrate deeply into every bite.
It’s not often I hear about a recipe that feels so familiar yet so completely new. I don’t know if Aunt Ida invented crab and dumplings or if it was a regional dish, but it could easily have been her specialty. I know the recipe carries tradition forward — a way to make a memorable meal even if you’ve only caught a few crabs. Perfect for lunch or dinner, it stretches the catch and celebrates the flavors of the place.
Listening to Linda talk, I could hear the pride and warmth in her voice. She was remembering things she hadn’t thought about in years. That makes recipes like this so important — they’re more than just food; they’re living stories, pieces of our past that deserve to be carried forward.
It’s extraordinary that Linda shared this with me. Moments like these remind me how important it is to keep the stories and traditions of our loved ones alive and vibrant. I admire these familial recipes and love making them my own so that we can pass them down to our kids in the future.
Aunt Ida–Inspired Crab and Dumplings
Serves 4–6
This recipe honors Aunt Ida’s crab-forward coastal cooking. Thin salt pork–enriched dumplings simmered in a seaweed-laced crab stock are finished with a sizzling garlic, scallion, and Old Bay oil poured over just before serving. I’ve added a few umami elements — local Rehoboth Bay edible seaweed (or kombu) and a splash of white soy — to deepen and complement the crab’s natural sweetness without overpowering it.
Ingredients
Crab Stock
• 12 blue crabs, top shells removed (reserve legs and body meat for later) (about 2.2 kg / 4.8 lb live weight — yields ~1 lb/450 g picked meat)
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil (30 mL)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped (about 120 g)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1–2 pieces local Rehoboth Bay edible seaweed or 1 (6–8”) piece dried kombu (10–15 g)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns (3 g)
• 10 cups cold water (2.4 L)
Dumplings
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
• 1 Tbsp baking powder (12 g)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (6 g)
• ¼ cup rendered salt pork drippings (55 g)
• Hot crab stock (about ¾ cup / 180 mL, adjust as needed)
Soup Base
• Crab stock (from above)
• 1 lb picked crab meat (450 g), from the reserved legs and bodies
• 2–3 splashes white soy sauce (5–10 mL)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic–Scallion–Old Bay Oil
• ¼ cup neutral oil (60 mL)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (8 g)
• 2 scallions, finely sliced (white and light green parts) (20 g)
• 1 small shallot, minced (20 g)
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (6 g)
Garnish
• Old Bay oil (from above)
• Chive sticks (long-cut fresh chives)
Method
1. Make the Crab Stock
• Heat neutral oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add crab shells (top shells and cleaned bodies without meat) and roast 5–7 minutes, stirring, until bright red and aromatic.
• Add carrot and smashed garlic; cook 2–3 minutes.
•Add seaweed or kombu, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
• Pour in cold water, boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim foam from the surface.
• Simmer gently 45–60 minutes. Strain and keep hot.
2. Make the Dumpling Dough
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Cut in rendered salt pork drippings until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Slowly ladle in hot crab stock, stirring just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
3. Roll and Cook Thin Dumplings
• Roll dough between two sheets of parchment to about ⅛–¼ inch (3–6 mm) thickness.
• Cut into strips or squares.
• Bring the strained crab stock back to a gentle simmer. Add dumplings, stirring gently to prevent sticking.
• Cover and cook 5–6 minutes, until tender.
4. Add Crab Meat and Seasoning
• Add picked crab meat and white soy to the pot during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Make the Hot-Pour Garlic–Scallion–Old Bay Oil
• Place garlic, scallions, shallot, and Old Bay in a heatproof bowl.
• In a small saucepan, heat neutral oil over medium-high until it reaches about 350°F (175°C) — shimmering but not smoking.
• Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics in the bowl. It should sizzle immediately, bringing out the flavors.
• Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to infuse.
6. Serve
• Ladle crab, stock, and dumplings into bowls.
• Spoon a generous drizzle of Old Bay oil over each serving.
• Garnish with long-cut chive sticks for a fresh, elegant finish. Serve immediately.
