Ginger Soft Shell Crabs Recipes

SCALLION GINGER CANTONESE CRAB

Steps:

• Clean and prep the crabs for cooking (see step-by-step instructions within this post).
• Take each of the crab halves and lightly dredge each large piece in a light coating of flour. Transfer to a clean plate along with the claws and shells. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the crab pieces.
• Heat a wok with 4 tablespoons of oil, spreading the oil around the wok so it heats evenly. You know you have reached the right temperature when you start to see just a little (not a lot!) of smoke on the sides of the wok. Now quickly place each of the large pieces of crab in the oil and spread the claws and shells around the outside portion of the wok. Next, quickly tilt the wok around in a circle to get the oil spread around to all of the crab pieces, keeping the heat on high. After another 15 seconds of this, use a spatula and roll the pieces around the oil for another 15 seconds. Turn off the heat and remove to a plate or small sheet pan.
• Clean the wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and toss in the ginger pieces until they are just starting to caramelize (15 seconds) and then add half of the scallions - use the white pieces for this step.
• Keep the heat on high and move quickly to add the crab to wok and toss the crab around with your spatula to get some good sizzle. After about 10 seconds, add the wine in a circle around the pan and immediately cover the wok and turn the heat down to medium. Let the crab cook for 2-3 minutes. During this process, it is best to hold the cover and tilt the wok so the liquid hits the hot sides of the wok and you hear and see a sizzle generating that elusive "wok hay" flavor. If you have no sizzle, the heat is too low.
• Remove the cover and spread the rest of the scallions over the crab. Add the sugar, white pepper and soy sauce. Give everything a good mix for another 10 seconds. Plate and serve!

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELLED CRABS WITH GINGER CARROT BROTH AND BABY BOK CHOY

Steps:

• In a sauce pan add carrots, ginger and chicken stock and cook for 45 minutes or until carrots are very soft. Puree mixture in a blender and strain through a fine strainer and reserve. Mix together flour, cornmeal and old bay seasoning and set aside. Dredge soft shells in milk and then in the flour mixture. Heat a saute pan with oil until the pan is smoking and saute the crabs until golden brown on each side. Splash with a squeeze of lemon juice and drain on a paper towel. Saute baby bok choy in a hot pan with the garlic and butter until wilted. Serve the soft shells on a bed of the bok choy and spoon the puree sauce around.

GINGER SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Coat crabs with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Saute in 3 T. hot oil in large skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Cover and cook 1 minute. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
• Wipe out skillet. Saute shallots in remaining 3 T. hot oil over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add ginger; saute 1 minute. Add broth and scallions; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce and sherry. Stir cornstarch mixture into skillet. Boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Spoon sauce over crabs on serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot.

PAN SEARED WILD ROCKFISH AND SOFT SHELL CRAB TEMPURA WITH GINGER AND YUZU GLAZE, CUCUMBER AND TOASTED NORI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a deep saucepan, heat canola oil to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, toss cucumbers with rice vinegar, set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine about 1 tablespoon canola oil and the ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and lime juice, boil until reduced by half. Fold in crabmeat, season mixture with salt, set aside.
• Place flour on a plate. Season the rockfish with salt and lightly dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat about 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add rockfish, skin side down, just until skin is crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook to brown other side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove fillets to a cutting board, cut fillets in half horizontally. Top half the pieces with the crab mixture and sandwich back together. Wrap portions individually in waxed or parchment paper.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake until fish is cooked through and crab stuffing is hot, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, dip crabs in Tempura Batter and fry until lightly brown and crispy, about 3 minutes, drain quickly on paper towel and cut in half.
• To serve: On the bottom of the plate, place a few cucumber slices. Drizzle with Yuzu Glaze. Remove rockfish from waxed paper and sprinkle sides with some of the Nori Flakes. Place rockfish over cucumber, plate soft shell crab next to fish. Sprinkle with scallions and chilies. Sprinkle with remaining Nori Flakes and stick a Toasted Nori Triangle in each crab half.
• In a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk together rice flour, cornstarch, salt and ginger. Whisk in club soda. Refrigerate or keep this batter on ice until ready to fry. You may need to whisk in additional flour or water to adjust the batter if it stands.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ginger, orange juice, yuzu juice, soy sauce and chili garlic paste. Bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and the 1 tablespoon water. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture turns a dark amber color, about 5 to 10 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally to prevent burning.
• When the sugar reaches the desired color, carefully whisk in the simmering yuzu mixture. Return to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch with enough water to form a smooth slurry. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the yuzu mixture a little at a time, letting it return to a boil between additions, until the mixture has thickened to a glaze. You may not need all of the cornstarch.
• Tear nori into small pieces. Grind to a fine powder in batches in a coffee or spice grinder.
• Using a sharp knife cut to cut nori into 12 small triangles.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, add sesame oil. Add triangles, cook, turning once, until crisped and shiny on both sides, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GINGER AND BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim off the outer thin feeler claws of the crabs. Cut the crabs in half crosswise through the center.
• Put 1/2 cup of the cornstarch in a dish and dip the cut part of each crab half in it. Shake off excess.
• Combine ginger, shredded lemon rind and red pepper. Set aside.
• Combine garlic, black beans and wine and set aside. Blend broth with minced lemon peel, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Set aside.
• Heat fat for deep frying and when it is almost but not smoking, add half of the crab halves. Cook about three and one-half to five minutes or until red and crisp. Transfer to a sieve and drain. Cook the remaining crab halves. Drain.
• Heat remaining one-quarter cup oil in clean skillet or wok. When hot add ginger mixture and cook about 10 minutes. Add black bean mixture and cook, stirring, about 20 seconds. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil.
• Blend remaining cornstarch with water and stir it in. When thickened pour sauce over crabs. Garnish with coriander sprigs and serve.

GRILLED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH SCALLIONS, GINGER AND DEEP-FRIED CAPERS

Steps:

• Clean crabs if necessary: remove the eyes, then turn the crab on its back and remove apron. Turn over again, lift up flaps at each end, and pull out spongy gill tissue. Pat dry and refrigerate until ready to grill.
• Place minced shallots in saucepan with lemon juice and white Port, and reduce over medium heat until about 2 tablespoons of sauce remain (5 to 7 minutes). Add heavy cream and grated ginger. Bring to a boil, and reduce by a third, to about 3 tablespoons.
• Reduce heat to very low, and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly. Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper; strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer. Taste for seasonings, adding a few drops of lemon juice if neccessary. Set sauce aside and keep warm.
• In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat peanut oil to 325 degrees. Carefully drop in drained capers and deep-fry until buds open fully and are crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on absorbent paper. Set aside and keep warm.
• Preheat broiler or outdoor grill until medium-hot. Brush crabs with olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Grill approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely crisp and deep reddish brown.
• Arrange crabs on a serving plate, drizzle sauce over them, and sprinkle with sliced scallions and deep-fried capers. Serve with summer vegetables and a dry white wine.