Soft Shell Crabs On Toast Food

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH TOMATO COMPOTE

Steps:

• Prepare the compote: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Core the tomatoes and halve crosswise, then squeeze out the seeds. Put the tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Roast until shriveled, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly, then slip off the skins. Cut into chunks.
• Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and grind with a spice grinder or chop with a knife. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic and ginger in the skillet over medium heat and cook until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ground coriander and cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Prepare the crabs: Heat 1/8 inch vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put the polenta in a baking dish; add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Put the milk in a bowl. Dip the crabs in the milk and shake off the excess, then dredge in the polenta and shake off the excess.
• Working in batches, fry the crabs, upside-down first, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towellined plate. Wipe out the skillet and add fresh oil between batches.
• Reheat the compote and stir in the herbs. Serve the crabs with the compote and lime wedges.
• Photograpg by Con Poulos

SOFT-SHELL CRAB TOAST

Steps:

• In a blender, combine parsley, jalapeño, lemon juice and salt. Add oil and 3 tablespoons water. Purée until sauce is smooth, adding additional water if needed, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a thick yet pourable sauce. Transfer sauce to a bowl and add more salt or lemon juice, or both, if needed.
• Heat broiler. Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Rub toast with cut garlic. Drizzle with oil or slather with butter (butter is nice on pain de mie), remove from pan and set aside.
• Lightly coat crabs with oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer, belly side up, to a large baking sheet (you can use the same one you used for the toast). Broil, turning once, until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Place one crab on top of each toast. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over each crab and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

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 GARLIC AND BUTTER

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.

SOFT SHELL CRAB SANDWICHES WITH SPICY TARTAR SAUCE (PO BOY)

Steps:

• Make the Tartar Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, pickle, capers with spicy tartar sauce chives, Old Bay, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
• To Cook the Crabs: In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Dredge the crabs to coat on both sides.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl the pan to melt it. Add the crabs top side down and cook, shaking the pan once or twice, until crisp and browned, about 3 minutes. The crabs may pop and splatter, so be careful.
• Flip the crabs and cook until crisp and just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the crab should read 145°F), about 3 minutes more. Transfer the crabs to a large paper-towel-lined plate.
• To Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread the tartar sauce on the 8 slices of toast. Top 4 of the toast slices, sauce side up, with a piece of lettuce and 1 or 2 slices of tomato. Put one crab on each sandwich, top with the remaining toast, sauce side down, and serve.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELLED CRABS ON HERBED TOAST

Steps:

• Trim the crust off the bread, then cut each slice in half.
• Melt four tablespoons of butter in the skillet, add the garlic and saute for one minute. Add the bread and cook until it browns, turn it over and continue to cook until that side browns. Sprinkle the tarragon over the toast and set it on the side.
• Season the flour with salt and pepper. Pat the crab in the flour and shake off any excess flour.
• Add the oil to the skillet and heat. Add the crabs and saute for one and a half minutes, then add an additional four tablespoons of butter, swirling it around as it melts. Cook for an additional one and a half minutes, then flip it over and cook for another three minutes. Remove the crabs to a platter and keep warm.
• Pour off the hot oil and butter from the pan. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the pan. Let the butter melt and just start browning. At this point, squeeze the lemon into the pan. It will bubble and thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Put two pieces of toast on each plate, then place a crab on each. Drizzle the sauce over the crabs and sprinkle on some parsley, then serve immediately.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS ON TOAST

Steps:

• On a plate or shallow dish, stir the flour, pepper, and a bit of salt.
• In a shallow dish, whisk together the milk, egg, and garlic.
• Place the cracker crumbs on another plate or shallow dish.
• Warm a generous ¼ inch of oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.
• Dip each crab into the seasoned flour, then into the egg mixture, and then into the cracker crumbs; gently shake to get rid of excess.
• Fry the crabs in batches for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
• Drain the crabs on paper towel-lined plate.
• Pour off any excess oil beyond 1 tablespoon; stir in the butter and lemon juice and heat through.
• Working quickly, arrange the toast on each plate and top each with a piece of ham slice; arrange each crab on top; then spoon equal portions of the pan sauce around.
• Sprinkle with parsley; garnish with lemon wedges and serve.