Crispy Fried Soft Shell Crabs Food

CRUNCHY SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Soak crabs in a bowl of buttermilk.
• In a deep fryer or saucepan, heat 4 inches of oil to 375 degrees.
• Whisk together cornmeal and flour, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove crabs from buttermilk, letting excess drip back into bowl. Coat crabs evenly in the cornmeal mixture. Working in batches, fry until golden brown and crisp all over, turning if needed, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. While warm, season with salt. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

SOFT SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• Combine chili paste, white vinegar, rice vinegar, garlic cloves, kosher salt, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes and skim if needed. Add cornstarch and bring back to a boil to thicken. Set aside and let cool.
• Heat oil to 360 degrees F. in a deep pot.
• Dredge crab in buttermilk and dip in tempura flour. Fry in oil for 2 minutes until crisp. Set aside. Place asparagus spear in oil for one minute. Set aside.
• Place 2 ounces of the cooled chili paste sauce in a shallow bowl along with a mound of cooked rice noodles. Arrange carrot and sprigs of basil, cilantro, and mint next to the noodles. Place lime wedge along side the noodles. Put fried crab on top of noodles with asparagus spear.

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.

TEMPURA-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRAB SANDWICHES WITH TARTAR SAUCE SLAW AND CRISPY OLD BAY CHIPS

Steps:

• For the tartar sauce slaw: Whisk together the cornichons, mayonnaise, capers, mustard, sugar, lemon juice, onion and some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• For the Old Bay potato chips: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Spread the potato chips in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake, just to warm, 2 minutes. Put the Old Bay in a small mesh strainer and tap evenly over the chips; toss the chips lightly.
• For the soft-shell crabs: Set a rack in a baking sheet. Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it registers 375 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer. Whisk together 2 cups of the rice flour and 2 cups water until smooth, then season with salt and pepper and some hot sauce if using.
• Put the remaining 1 cup rice flour in a shallow dish and season with some salt and pepper. Sprinkle the crabs with salt and pepper.
• Dredge 2 crabs in flour and tap off the excess. Dip in the tempura batter, letting any excess run off. Fry until golden brown, crispy and just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain on the rack. Repeat with the remaining 2 crabs.
• For the sandwiches: Put some of the slaw on the bottom of each bun and top with a fried crab. Add a bit more slaw and a tomato slice and top with chips. Close sandwiches with the tops of the buns and serve immediately.

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.

FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Beat egg and milk.
• Add salt.
• Dip crabs thoroughly in egg and milk mixture,.
• then in flour and baking powder which have been mixed.
• Have hot fat about 1/2" deep and cook until golden brown.
• Serve with tartar sauce.

CRISPY SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Soak the crabs in milk for 30 minutes. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, ginger, paprika and garlic powder in a bag; dredge crabs in the mixture.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the crabs until golden-brown, 5 minutes per side.
• Spread buns with mayonnaise; top each with a crab. Dollop with coleslaw, if desired. Serve immediately.