Fried Soft Shell Crabs With A Shellfish Ragu Food

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 WITH A SHELLFISH RAGU RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 360 degrees. Rinse crabs in water, then pat dry with paper towel. Season each crab with 1 teaspoon of the Essence and set aside. Combine flour with 4 teaspoons of the remaining Essence, salt and ground black pepper and stir to combine well. Beat the egg with a splash of water in a shallow dish. Lay out the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. Lightly dredge each crab in the seasoned flour, making sure that the crabs are completely coated. Dip each crab in eggwash to cover, then coat in bread crumbs. Holding the crabs by long tongs or balanced on a small skimmer, hold them so that the legs dangle down into the hot oil and fry for 1 minute, or until the legs are stiff. Lower the crab completely into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn crab over and allow to fry an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy all over. Carefully transfer crabs to paper-lined plates to drain briefly before serving. Sprinkle with Essence when still hot. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and saute the shallots until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and the remaining teaspoon of Essence and saute for 1 minute, or until the shrimp turn pink around the edges. Add the shrimp stock, bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the stock is reduced by half. Add the heavy cream and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Add the crawfish tails, fresh thyme and snipped chives and cook until heated through. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and remove sauce from the heat. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve the ragu ladled over the fried softshell crabs. This recipe yields 4 servings.

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.

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Combine flour and seafood seasoning in a resealable zip-top bag. Seal and shake to mix. Combine egg and milk in a bowl. Dredge crabs in egg mixture, then add to seasoned flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess when removing from bag.
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add crabs in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes; flip and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Remove to a serving dish.
• Mix mayonnaise, chives, pickle juice, mustard, seafood seasoning, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together for remoulade. Serve with crabs.

MARYLAND FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Wash and clean crabs by cutting off the face just behind the eyes. Lift top of shell and remove the spongy fingers. If the crab is a female (identified by striped markings), remove the back or apron. Rinse and dry.
• Season flour with salt and pepper and mix in baking powder. Dredge crabs in mixture.
• Pour oil into skillet to depth of 1 inch. Heat to 375 degrees. Cook crabs on both sides until brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, if desired.

PAN-FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Coat Heat oven to 200°F. Whisk together coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Working with one at a time, place crabs in milk mixture and turn to coat completely. Lift crabs, allowing excess liquid to drip into bowl, then dredge in flour mixture, turning to coat both sides. Tap off excess flour mixture and set the crabs on a baking sheet as you work.
• Pan-fry Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add crabs (becareful, as their liquid can cause spattering), and cook until both sides are crisp and golden brown and flesh is cooked through (it should be firm to the touch), about 4 minutes per side. Do not try to flip the crabs too soon, as the crust needs time to form; they should release easily from the pan. Using a slotted spatula, transfer crabs to prepared baking sheet to drain.
• Serve Divide the slaw evenly among four plates and top each with a crab.
• Ingredients
• Soft shell crabs should be used within several hours (no longer than 6 hours) of purchase. Store them over a bed of ice in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.