Soft Shell Crabs Amandine Food

SOFT SHELL CRABS AMANDINE

Steps:

• Put crabs in a dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold milk to barely cover, pouring it gently down the side. Cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In a large shallow dish combine the flour salt black pepper and cayenne. Remove each crab from the milk and hold it up to drain for a few seconds. Dredge lightly in the seasoned flour. Lay floured crabs on a baking sheet or tray, do not let them touch. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the oil with 2 tablespoons of butter. When hot add the crabs shell side down cook over moderate heat until golden brown about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for about 3 minnutes more on the other side. Transfer crabs to heat proof platter and keep warm without covering or allowing them to touch in the preheated oven Drain fat from the skillet but do not discard crusty browned bits on the bottom unless they have burned. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and salt add the almonds and brown.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB BLTS

Steps:

• Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and break the slices in half.
• Whisk the flour and 1 tablespoon Old Bay in a shallow bowl. Season the crabs with salt and pepper, then dip the crabs in the seasoned flour to coat on both sides.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until foamy. Immediately add the crabs and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with more Old Bay.
• Assemble the sandwiches: Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on 4 slices of toast. Top each with lettuce, tomato, some bacon and a crab. Spread the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the 4 other slices of toast and place on top of the sandwiches. Gently press down on each sandwich and cut in half. Serve with pickles.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH SHRIMP AMANDINE

Steps:

• Place the crabs right side up on a cutting board. Cut off the protruding eyes with a knife. Turn each crab on its back. Remove the triangular shaped apron. Lift the flap on each side, and remove the spongy gill tissue underneath. Rinse the crabs with cold water, and pat them dry with paper towels.
• Place one shrimp in each pocket where the gills were removed.
• Place the crabs in a low dish and add the milk, Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste. Blend well; turn the crabs to coat them with the milk mixture. Drain.
• Place the flour on a flat dish, and carefully dredge the crabs in flour. Shake, and remove any excess.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet that will hold the crabs in one layer. Add the crabs. Cook on one side over medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the crabs are golden brown. Turn, and cook on the other side until golden brown. The total cooking time should be about 7 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer the crabs to a warm serving plate, and keep warm.
• Pour off the fat from the skillet, and wipe it clean with paper towels. Add the butter, and when melted, add the sliced almonds. Cook, shaking, until the almonds become lightly browned. Add the lemon juice, blend well by shaking the pan, and pour over the crabs. Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve immediately.

SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Rinse, clean, and dry crabs. Tuck a small sprig og thyme under the shell of each crab. Dredge them in flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in skillet very hot, and fry crabs about 5 minutes or until they are crisp and brown, Serve with parsley and lemon wedges.
• NOTE: The original recipe does not give amounts. Use your own discretion when preparing. There should be 2 crabs person, 1 sprig of thyme for each crab.

GINGER SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Coat crabs with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Saute in 3 T. hot oil in large skillet over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Cover and cook 1 minute. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
• Wipe out skillet. Saute shallots in remaining 3 T. hot oil over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add ginger; saute 1 minute. Add broth and scallions; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce and sherry. Stir cornstarch mixture into skillet. Boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Spoon sauce over crabs on serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In flat dish, combine the milk, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Blend well. Add the crabs, turning them over to coat well with the milk.
• Place the flour in a flat dish and remove the crabs from the milk. Dredge them in the flour. Shake to remove any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet. Place six crabs in the pan and cook them over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned on one side. Turn and cook until golden brown on the other side. The total cooking time is about 6 or 7 minutes depending on the thickness. Transfer to a warm serving platter and keep warm. Add remaining vegetable oil to pan and repeat the procedure with the other crabs.
• Pour off the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels. Add the butter and olive oil, add the shallots and sliced almonds and cook until lightly browned, shaking the pan. When the oil is bubbling, add the lemon juice and pour the mixture over the crabs. Sprinkle with parsley.

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.