Tomalley

Common card · No. 207842

Tomalley is the culinary name for the hepatopancreas (the organ that fulfills the functions of both the liver and the pancreas and is the main organ for storing fat and nutrients) of a crustacean. It typically refers to those in lobster or crab. 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. 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...

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