CHEZ MARCELLE'S STUFFED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Chez Marcelle's Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs image

Provided by Marian Burros

Time 1h15m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound lump crab meat
1 pound shrimp, ground
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 ounces diced pimentos
1/2 pound chopped mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Salt to taste
2 1/4 cups stale bread crumbs
10 jumbo soft-shell crabs, gills removed
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Flour for dredging seasoned with salt, red and white pepper
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
Cracker meal
1 quart peanut oil
Lemon wedges and fried parsley for garnish

Steps:

Cook green onions, garlic, crab and shrimp in white wine about three minutes. Add pimentos, mushrooms, cayenne, white pepper and salt and bread crumbs and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in yolks.
Chill stuffing for about 1 hour, until firm. Carefully stuff each side cavity of crabs with mixture.
Season crabs with salt, white pepper and cayenne. Dredge in flour; dip in a mixture of buttermilk and eggs, then in cracker meal, breading each leg individually.
Heat oil in deep pot to 375 degrees. Deep fry a few crabs at a time until golden brown on both sides.
Serve crabs with Creolaise sauce. Garnish with lemon and fried parsley.