Weighted And Panfried Soft Shell Crabs With Lime Garlic Mojo Recipes

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and pepper; place on a dinner plate. Dredge 2 soft-shell crabs in flour mixture, shaking off excess (make sure crabs are completely coated).
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking. Place flour-coated crabs, back side down, in sauté pan; reduce heat to medium if pan starts to smoke. Sauté crabs until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes (do not stand too close to pan; crabs tend to spatter during cooking). Turn crabs over, and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and a large pinch of parsley to skillet. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over crabs. Keep warm in a low oven. Repeat process until all the crabs are cooked.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED SOFT-SHELLED CRABS WITH CILANTRO-LIME TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, salt, and pepper and pour into a 3-quart shallow dish. Add crabs and soak, covered and chilled, 1 hour.
• Heat enough oil to measure 2 inches deep in a wide 4-quart heavy pot (about 4 inches deep) to 375°F.
• Whisk together flour and cornmeal and transfer to a large sealable plastic bag. Lift 1 crab out of buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and shake in bag to coat with flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a tray. Repeat with remaining crabs, arranging them in 1 layer as coated.
• Deep-fry crabs, 2 at a time, turning over halfway through frying (watch out for popping), until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Drain crabs on paper towels and serve with tartar sauce.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS, PAN-FRIED

Steps:

• Pat the crabs dry with paper towels.
• Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crabs backside down and sprinkle with pepper flakes. Cover the crabs with a spatter-proof shield or a lid held at an angle to prevent spattering. Cook for three to four minutes.
• Turn the crabs over and add the almonds. The butter will now be starting to brown. Cook for an additional three minutes, or until the crabs are cooked. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper and serve with the lemon.

WEIGHTED AND PANFRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH LIME-GARLIC MOJO

Steps:

• Season the crabs with salt and pepper and place in the buttermilk. Soak for 1 hour. Remove and pat dry.
• While the crabs are soaking, prepare the mojo: heat the olive oil in a small, heavy saucepan over a moderately low flame. Add the garlic and cook slowly for 5 minutes, or until golden, not brown. Add the lime juice, stir, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and add cilantro. Refrigerate until cool.
• To prepare the crabs: In a bowl, mix together the flour, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the crabs in the flour, shaking off the excess. Choose a heavy frying pan (or pans) that will hold all the crabs in one layer without crowding. Place the pans over moderately high heat and add enough butter to create a thin layer (about 1/4 inch) in each pan. After the foam subsides, add the floured crabs and weight them (with bricks or anything you can improvise). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the crabs are golden brown on the underside. Turn the crabs over, and weight them again. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until the other side is golden brown. Transfer them to paper towels to drain briefly, dab each crab with some of the mojo and serve.

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.