Tomalley

Not to be confused with Tamale.
Tomalley
Tomalley and roe of gejang ready to eat
TypeSeafood
Japanese kourayaki, or blended crab tomalley and roe baked in its shell

Tomalley is the hepatopancreas (the organ that fulfills the functions of both the liver and the pancreas) of a lobster, crab or other arthropods) of a crustacean when used for culinary purposes. Tomalley found in lobster is also called lobster paste, which can be found in the body cavity, and is soft and green; that found in crab is also called crab fat, crab butter or crab mustard, which is yellow or yellow-green in color.[1][2][3] It is considered a delicacy, and may be eaten alone but is often added to sauces for flavour and as a thickening agent.

The term lobster paste or lobster pâté can also be used to indicate a mixture of tomalley and lobster roe. Lobster bisque, lobster stock, and lobster consommé are made using lobster bodies (heads), often including tomalley.

In Maryland and on the Delmarva Peninsula, the hepatopancreas of the blue crab is called the "muster" or "mustard", probably because of the yellow color, which is not the bright yellow of regular prepared yellow mustard, but closer to one of the brown mustards, such as Dijon mustard. Particularly when eating steamed or boiled crabs, it is considered a delicacy.

  1. ^ David Rosengarten (August 4, 2004). "Cravin' crabs? Create your own feast at home". MSNBC. Archived from the original on August 4, 2004. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  2. ^ Margaret Mittelbach & Michael Crewdson (September 1, 2000). "Trapping Dinner in the Bay". New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2010.
  3. ^ Leo H. Carney (July 10, 1983). "Health unit to issue blue-crab advisory". New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2010.