Soft Shell Crab Basket Recipes

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.

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.

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.

Steps:

• Start by cleaning the soft-shell crabs, removing the gills and the skirt flap. Refrigerate until ready to cook. On the stove, over medium heat slowly bring the vegetable oil to 325 degrees. Then lower the heat to hold the temperature. While the oil is heating prepare the buttermilk by mixing the grated lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Combine Flour with Old Bay Seasoning. The correct way to batter using flour is a method known as dry-wet-dry, so start by coating the crabs with the flour seasoned with Old Bay then dredging them into the buttermilk and then back into the flour. Carefully using tongs drop the crabs into the oil and fry until crisp, when golden brown, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Serve the crabs in a basket with french-fries, coleslaw, grilled corn, tartar sauce, and lemon. Another delicious serving suggestion is a simple soft-shell sandwich. To make the sandwich place the fried crab in between 2 slices of lightly toasted white bread with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise;

Steps:

• For Tempura Batter: Whisk together ingredients. Can be used for up to 1 hour. Keep cold!
• For Crabs: Heat 1/4-inch of corn or peanut oil in a heavy skillet until very hot but not smoking. Fry the crabs in batches for about 2 minutes on the first side, then turn and fry for another minute. The crust should be golden. Be prepared the crabs will split when you fry them; a splatter screen will come in handy.
• Drain on paper towels and serve with dipping sauces.
• For Balsamic Syrup: Put all ingredients together and reduce over medium heat, down to 1/4 of its liquid. Strain and discard onion.
• For Red Pepper Syrup: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Reduce down to 3/4 of a cup. Thicken with the arrowroot.
• For Wasabi Cream: Dissolve Wasabi in water. Whisk in creme fraiche and lemon juice. Season with salt.

Steps:

• Place wok and ring over BBQ. Heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil in the wok over hot fire.
• In 1 shallow bowl, combine the flour and crab boil. In a second bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water. In a third bowl, put the bread crumbs.
• Using paper towel, pat dry a crab. Dredge in flour, coat with egg mixture, then place in bread crumbs or back in flour. Coat well.
• Using tongs, lower the crab into hot oil. Brown both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes. While first crab cooks, prepare second crab. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• When crab is done, place on grate or paper to drain.

Steps:

• Lay crabs backside down on a cutting board, and cut in half lengthwise, so that each half has a claw.
• Stir about 1 1/4 cups water into the flour to make a smooth, thick batter. Add baking soda and ice cubes.
• Pour enough oil into a deep pot to fill it halfway, and heat to 375 degrees. (To test, carefully sprinkle a drop or two of water into the pot. If the oil rumbles, it's not hot enough. If it crackles, it is.)
• Dip crab pieces, four at a time, into batter, and immediately drop into hot oil. Stir after several seconds to separate the pieces, then cook until golden brown, 30 to 45 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining crab pieces. Salt to taste, and serve immediately.