SOFT SHELL CRAB ON TOAST

SOFT SHELL CRAB ON TOAST image

Yield 4-6 people

Number Of Ingredients 11

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2 cups packed Italian parsley leaves
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, more as needed
1/4 teaspoon salt, more as needed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
6 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country-style bread or pain de mie
1 large garlic clove, halved and peeled
Unsalted butter, as needed (optional)
6 (3-ounce) wild jumbo soft-shelled crabs, cleaned
Black pepper, as needed
Lemon wedges, for serving

Steps:

PREPARATION 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. YIELD 6 appetizer servings, or 3 main course servings