Pistou For Soft Shell Crab Recipes

CRISPY SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH PISTOU AND SOFT FRIED EGGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together benne seeds, beer, and flour until well combined; season with a pinch of salt. Transfer batter to refrigerator and let chill for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add morels and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add ramps, peas, and vegetable stock; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until ramps are wilted and peas are bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, fill a large Dutch oven 5 inches high with canola oil. Heat oil over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Remove batter from refrigerator and dredge each crab in batter, shaking off excess. Transfer crabs to hot oil and cover Dutch oven with a splatter guard (crabs will sizzle and pop while cooking). Cook, turning once, until crabs are golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer crabs to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Place a tablespoon of butter in each of 2 medium nonstick skillets; heat skillets over medium heat until butter is frothy. Reduce heat to low and crack an egg into each skillet; cook, basting whites with butter using a spoon, until whites are set but yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper. Remove eggs from skillets and repeat process with remaining 2 eggs.
• Divide pistou evenly among 4 serving plates. Place a crab on each plate and top each with an egg. Divide morels, ramps, and peas evenly among plates; garnish each with a pea shoot and benne seeds. Serve immediately.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GARLIC AND BUTTER

Steps:

• Season crabs with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off excess. Set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and saute the crabs until soft, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the crabs and set aside. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the capers and white wine. Cook until wine has reduced to about 1/2. Swirl in the butter and the chopped chives. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer crabs to a plate, spoon sauce over the crabs and garnish with Essence.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• Clean each crab. Lift one pointed side of top shell and remove the gills by pulling them out. Put top shell back down and repeat on other side. On the bottom side remove tail flap by twisting and pulling off. Using a pair of scissors, remove the face by cutting behind the eyes. Rinse the crabs thoroughly with cold water. Dry on paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees F). In a shallow dish, whisk together the egg and milk using a fork. In a separate bowl, stir salt and pepper into the flour. Lightly salt the crab, then dip in the flour, dip in the egg, then in the flour again.
• Carefully place crabs into the deep-fryer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Carefully turn over, and cook until golden on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve as soon as they are cool enough to eat. You can eat the whole crab.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CURRY BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the curry butter: Put the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat. When spices are lightly toasted and fragrant, after a minute or so, grind them to a powder in a mortar or electric spice mill. Add nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne and turmeric.
• Put butter in a bowl. Add spices, garlic, ginger, salt and lime zest and juice. Mash seasonings into butter with a wooden spoon. Add crushed almonds and scallions, then mix until well incorporated. (May be prepared several hours ahead, or up to 1 day in advance.)
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons curry butter, let melt and swirl pan to distribute. Dust crabs lightly with rice flour, if using. When butter is foamy, add crabs in one layer and raise heat. Let crabs cook 3 minutes, then turn, using tongs, and cook 3 minutes on the other side. (Be careful, as crabs may spatter.) Remove crabs and keep warm.
• Add 4 tablespoons curry butter to pan and let sizzle. Add pea shoots and cook briefly until wilted, 1 minute or less.
• Arrange crabs on a warm platter or individual plates. Garnish with wilted pea shoots and lime wedges. Spoon melted curry butter from pan over crabs and serve at once.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS PROVENCAL WITH SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Bring water in pot to boil.
• Chop whole onion.
• Heat nonstick pan until it is very hot; reduce heat to medium high, and add oil. Saute onion until it begins to soften.
• Mince garlic, and add to pan.
• Wash, trim and seed whole pepper, and chop. Add to pan after onion has begun to soften.
• Wash, trim and chop zucchini, and add. Cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook spaghetti in boiling water according to package directions.
• Wash crabs, and lightly coat with flour.
• Heat butter in small nonstick pan over medium heat, and brown crabs on both sides, about 3 minutes a side.
• Drain pasta, and arrange on plates. Toss with vegetables, and top with crabs.

SOFT SHELL CRABS MIA

Steps:

• Mix everything, except crabs, in a shallow baking dish. Add crabs and cover.
• Marinate in the fridge for 1/2 hour.
• Place crabs on a hot grill.
• Cook for 15 minutes on each side basting and turning often.
• To decrease cooking time, cover grill with large lid to help circulate the heat evenly.
• Crabs are done when they are pink/red and slightly crisp, but still moist.
• Cook time does not include time to marinate.

PISTOU FOR SOFT-SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. Add pea shoots to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to ice-water bath to cool. Drain and pat dry, removing any excess water.
• Very finely chop pea shoots and transfer to the jar of a blender, along with garlic, vegetable stock, and xanthan gum; blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; serve.