Best Sauteed Soft Shell Crabs With Tomatoes Recipes

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

SAUTéED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH LEMON-BUTTER PAN SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, season flour with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge crabs in the seasoned flour.
• In a 10-inch stainless steel skillet, melt 4 tablespoons (60g) butter over medium-high heat until foamy. Add crabs, shell-side down, and cook until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes; be careful, as soft-shell crabs sometimes pop in the pan. Flip crabs and cook until crisp and golden on bottom side, about 3 minutes. Transfer crabs to paper towel-lined plates and season lightly with salt.
• Add remaining 4 tablespoons (60g) butter to the skillet and melt until foaming. Lower heat to medium and cook until the butter turns a medium-brown color, about 2 minutes.
• Add capers and cook until lightly crisped, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice, swirl to combine, and remove from heat.
• Stir parsley into pan sauce, season with salt, if needed. Transfer crabs to a serving platter and spoon sauce on top. Serve right away.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CAPER BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• To prepare the soft-shell crabs: Put the flour in a pie dish or plate and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Lay the crabs in the hot oil in a single layer without crowding; you may have to fry them in batches. Be careful, the crabs have a tendency to pop and spatter. Cook the crabs for about 3 minutes on each side, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and cover to keep warm.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the butter to the pan. Let the butter melt and cook until it just begins to brown. Add the capers and wine; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until almost dry. Add the lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Pour the caper brown butter sauce over the crabs and serve with lemon wedges.

GRILLED SOFT SHELL CRAB SANDWICH WITH RED SLAW AND YELLOW TOMATOES

Steps:

• For the slaw: Whisk together the ketchup, red wine vinegar, celery salt, kosher salt, black pepper and cayenne in a large bowl. Add the cabbage and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours before serving. Taste for seasoning just before serving.
• For the crabs: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat direct grilling. Brush both sides of the crabs with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until the crabs are just firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the size.
• For assembly: Place 1 large or 2 small crabs on the grilled buns, top with a large spoonful of coleslaw and 2 slices of tomatoes. Serve immediately.

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and pepper; place on a dinner plate. Dredge 2 soft-shell crabs in flour mixture, shaking off excess (make sure crabs are completely coated).
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking. Place flour-coated crabs, back side down, in sauté pan; reduce heat to medium if pan starts to smoke. Sauté crabs until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes (do not stand too close to pan; crabs tend to spatter during cooking). Turn crabs over, and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and a large pinch of parsley to skillet. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over crabs. Keep warm in a low oven. Repeat process until all the crabs are cooked.

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.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in saute pan and add shallot and garlic. Cook gently for about two minutes or until the shallot has softened. Add tomatoes and basil and stir until juices are released.
• Turn up heat and cook until tomatoes are somewhat dry. Remove from heat, swirl in the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Rinse capers, dry them and sprinkle them with flour. Heat peanut oil and fry capers until light golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard oil.
• Prepare crabs. Dip crabs in milk, then in flour, season with salt and pepper. Heat three tablespoons peanut oil in large skillet and saute the crabs, starting with the shell side, the crab's top side, down first, for a few minutes. Turn over and saute for one and a half to two minutes on underside. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve crabs on heated individual plates. Divide the tomatoes among four plates and place crabs on top. Sprinkle with the fried capers and garnish with parsley or basil leaves and lemon wedges.

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.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GRENOBOIS

Steps:

• With a knife, cut away the skin of the lemon, removing every trace of pith and exposing the fruit. Cut between the membranes, releasing the lemon segments. Cut the segments into small dice. You will need 1 tablespoon.
• To clean the soft-shell crabs, cut off the gills (a cotton-like membrane under each side of the head) by lifting the sides of the upper shell and snipping with scissors. Cut off the turned under tail as well as the head directly behind the eyes. Scrape out the inside through the opening at the head with a knife, and rinse the opening under cold water. Dry the crabs with a paper towels and refrigerate until needed.
• Dredge each crab in flour, shaking off any excess. In a large pan over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the crabs bottom side up and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Remove, keep warm, and set aside.
• Add the remaining butter to same pan, and heat until golden brown. Add the tomato confit, capers, lemon, parsley, shallots, and olives and cook until mixture is warmed through.
• To serve: Place two crabs on center of plate. Add the vegetables on top of crabs and around the plate.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• To clean the crabs: With a small knife cut off the apron at the rear of the body. Turn the crab and cut off the face at the point just behind the eyes. Lift each point of the crab at the sides and with your fingers clean out the feathery gills. Wash under cold water.
• Toast almonds until golden.
• Season flour with salt and pepper and dredge crabs lightly in flour. heat butter and oil in 1 or 2 skillets large enough to hold the crabs in a single layer and saute about 3 minutes on each side, until golden. Top with almonds and serve with lemon wedges.

SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add shallot and garlic. Cook gently for about two minutes, or until translucent. Add the tomatoes and stir until the juices are released.
• Turn up the heat and cook until the tomatoes are somewhat dry.
• Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.
• Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, a few cubes at a time. Adjust seasoning and stir in the parsley and basil. Add lemon if necessary. Keep the sauce warm (do not overheat or it may curdle).
• Prepare the leeks. Remove the green part and cut the leeks in julienne. Wash and dry them thoroughly. Heat the peanut oil in a deep fryer and fry the leeks until light golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly. Set aside.
• Prepare the crabs. Dip the crabs in milk, then in seasoned flour. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet and saute the crabs, starting with the shell side down first, for two minutes. Turn over and saute for one-and-a-half to two minutes on the other side. Drain of paper towels.
• Serve the crabs on heated plates. If serving two crabs person, spread tomato butter on each plate and place the crabs in a V shape, with the legs facing each other. Mound the fried leeks in the middle of the V and garnish with parsley or basil leaves. If serving three crabs, arrange them in a triangle and mound the the leeks in the center. Garnish.

SAUTEED SOFTSHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place flour on a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge soft-shell crabs in flour, shaking off excess. When the skillet is hot, add half the butter and canola oil to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Add four crabs, backside down, being careful to avoid spattering. When they brown lightly, turn, and finish cooking on the other side, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes total, depending on the size of the crabs. Drain on paper towels, and repeat with remaining crabs, adding more butter or oil to pan if needed.
• In a small bowl, stir together remaining clarified butter and lemon juice. Drizzle over crabs, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.