Grilled Soft Shell Crabs Food

GRILLED OR SAUTEED SOFT SHELL CRAB BLT

Steps:

• If grilling, brush the crabs lightly with blended olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. If sauteing, season the crabs with salt and pepper, and dredge lightly in flour. Cook the crabs for about 3 minutes per side over medium heat. Set aside and keep warm. Place the toasted brioche in the center of a plate and cover it generously with Basil Mayonnaise. Layer the arugula leaves, tomato slices, and warm pancetta, in that order, on top of the brioche. Top with the warm crabs and squeeze more Basil Mayonnaise over the plate and the crabs. Garnish with rosemary, and serve with shoestring potatoes or chips.
• Place the egg yolks, water, and basil in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the processor and slowly add the oil through the feeding tube. Add salt and pepper, to taste. If the mayonnaise is too thick, add a little water. Transfer Basil Mayonnaise to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS ON THE GRILL

Steps:

• Rinse crabs under cold running water; brush them with a small brush if necessary to remove any dirt from their shells. Twist off and discard apron. Fold back the pointed sides of the top shell to expose gills; remove gills on both sides. Using kitchen scissors, cut across the front of the crab about 1/4-inch behind the eyes and mouth; squeeze out the small sac located directly behind the mouth.
• Preheat a grill with the lid down or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Brush crabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place crabs on grill and cover. Cook, turning crabs every couple minutes and basting them with remaining olive oil, until they turn orange and are cooked through, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from grill and serve immediately.

GRILLED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Place the shallots in a saucepan with the lime juice and port. Reduce over medium heat until two tablespoons of sauce remain (five to seven minutes). Add heavy cream and grated ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce by a third to three tablespoons.
• Reduce heat to very low and whisk in the butter, a small piece at a time. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and add a few more drops of lime juice if necessary. Keep warm (be careful not to overheat or the sauce may curdle).
• Preheat broiler or outdoor grill.
• Brush the crabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill three to four minutes on each side, until crisp and a deep reddish brown.
• Arrange the crabs on a serving platter, drizzle sauce over them and sprinkle with scallions and coriander.

GRILLED SOFT-SHELL CRABS RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Rinse the crabs in running cool water and reserve. Heat a grill to medium-hot-you should be able to hold your hand about an inch over the cooking grate for 3 to 4 seconds before pulling it away from the heat.
• Pat the crabs dry with paper towels. Liberally brush the crabs all over with melted butter or oil and set them on the hot grill.
• Cover the grill and cook until the crabs are lightly browned on the cooking grate side, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Flip the crabs over, brush with more butter, and cook until they are browned on the second side and cooked through, or about 10 minutes in total. Use tongs to remove the crabs from the grill.
• Enjoy.

SOFT-SHELLED CRAB SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Have the fishmonger clean crabs, each about 2 to 3 ounces, or clean them*. In a dish combine vegetable oil, garlic cloves, Old Bay seasoning (available at fish markets), and salt and pepper to taste. Add the crabs, patted dry, turn them to coat them with the mixture, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for at least 2 hours.
• Have ready English muffins, split in half and flattened with a rolling pin. In a small saucepan combine unsalted butter, lemon juice and parsley leaves, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste, heat the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, until the butter is just melted, and reserve it.
• Drain the soft-shelled crabs, put in a grill basket or arrange them over glowing coals for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they turn red. Grill the English muffins, turning them once, until they are crisp and browned lightly, brush the split sides with the reserved herb butter, and sandwich 1 grilled crab between 2 muffin halves.
• To clean soft-shelled crabs:
• Rinse live soft-shelled crabs under running cold water. With scissors cut off the heads about 1/4 inch behind the eyes and cut off the white gills. Peel back the aprons, cut them off, and rinse the crabs again.

GRILLED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH OLD BAY TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: add mayonnaise, peppers, capers, pickles, lemon juice, chives, tarragon, mustard, and Old Bay seasoning to a bowl; whisk to mix.
• Season to taste with black pepper; sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for at least 1 week; bring to room temperature before serving.
• The crabs: melt the butter in a small saucepan over med-high heat.
• Add in garlic, shallot, and Old Bay seasoning; cook until the garlic and shallot have lost their rawness, about 2 minutes; they should be soft and translucent; do not let them brown; set flavored butter aside.
• Set up grill for direct grilling; preheat to high.
• When ready to cook brush and oil the grill grate; brush the crabs on both sides with some of the flavored butter.
• Place the crabs on the hot grate and grill until cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side, basting with some of the flavored butter.
• When done, the shells will turn bright red.
• Brush the bread slices with the remaining flavored butter and grill them as well, about 1 minute per side.
• To serve: slather the toast with some of the Old Bay Tartar Sauce; place a lettuce leaf, a few tomato slices, and 2 soft-shell crabs on top.
• Serve with the remaining tartar sauce on the side.

GRILLED SOFT SHELL CRABS WITH JICAMA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine jicama, cucumber, and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Dress with 4 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt, mix well and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, chiles, garlic, onions, avocado and remaining chopped cilantro. Dress with remaining lime juice, season with salt, mix gently and set aside.
• Lightly brush a hot grill or grill pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brush crabs with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then place on grill and cook until firm, about 2 or more minutes on each side.
• To serve, divide jicama salad and tomato-avocado salsa between four plates. Top each plate with 2 crabs and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

GRILLED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH SCALLIONS, GINGER AND DEEP-FRIED CAPERS

Steps:

• Clean crabs if necessary: remove the eyes, then turn the crab on its back and remove apron. Turn over again, lift up flaps at each end, and pull out spongy gill tissue. Pat dry and refrigerate until ready to grill.
• Place minced shallots in saucepan with lemon juice and white Port, and reduce over medium heat until about 2 tablespoons of sauce remain (5 to 7 minutes). Add heavy cream and grated ginger. Bring to a boil, and reduce by a third, to about 3 tablespoons.
• Reduce heat to very low, and whisk in butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly. Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper; strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer. Taste for seasonings, adding a few drops of lemon juice if neccessary. Set sauce aside and keep warm.
• In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat peanut oil to 325 degrees. Carefully drop in drained capers and deep-fry until buds open fully and are crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on absorbent paper. Set aside and keep warm.
• Preheat broiler or outdoor grill until medium-hot. Brush crabs with olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Grill approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely crisp and deep reddish brown.
• Arrange crabs on a serving plate, drizzle sauce over them, and sprinkle with sliced scallions and deep-fried capers. Serve with summer vegetables and a dry white wine.