Best Soft Shell Crabs With Corn Recipes

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.

SOFT SHELL CRABS WITH CORN RELISH, FIELD GREENS AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan, heat peanut oil to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, pepper, fennel and salt. Whisk in club soda and egg whites to form a smooth batter. Dip soft shell crabs in batter and fry in batches until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve crabs with Corn Relish. Drizzle with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and garnish with a pile of greens.
• Steam corn kernels until crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes, set aside. Cut the kernels from the cob into a mixing bowl.
• In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and mushrooms, cook until mushrooms give off their liquid and start to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add red pepper, jalapeno and green onion. Cook just until scallions wilt, about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Stir in corn mixture and cook until corn is heated through.
• Combine pepper puree, shallots, and vinegar in a non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer until shallots are tender. Add cream and stir to combine. Add lemon juice and whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt, to taste.

PAN-FRIED SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Coat Heat oven to 200°F. Whisk together coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Working with one at a time, place crabs in milk mixture and turn to coat completely. Lift crabs, allowing excess liquid to drip into bowl, then dredge in flour mixture, turning to coat both sides. Tap off excess flour mixture and set the crabs on a baking sheet as you work.
• Pan-fry Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add crabs (becareful, as their liquid can cause spattering), and cook until both sides are crisp and golden brown and flesh is cooked through (it should be firm to the touch), about 4 minutes per side. Do not try to flip the crabs too soon, as the crust needs time to form; they should release easily from the pan. Using a slotted spatula, transfer crabs to prepared baking sheet to drain.
• Serve Divide the slaw evenly among four plates and top each with a crab.
• Ingredients
• Soft shell crabs should be used within several hours (no longer than 6 hours) of purchase. Store them over a bed of ice in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.

CRISPY SOFT SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• To make the succotash, combine the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over high heat and cook until the butter is melted and begins to sizzle. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the corn and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the black-eyed peas, lima beans, and tomato, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the tomato softens slightly and the peas and beans are heated through, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, green onions, and parsley. Keep warm.
• To cook the soft shell crabs, put the flour in a large shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pat the crabs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Dredge 2 of the crabs on both sides in the flour and tap off the excess. Place the crabs in the pan, upside down, and cook on each side until golden brown and just cooked through, about 7 minutes total. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and repeat with the remaining oil and crabs. Place 2 crabs on each of 4 plates and tent loosely to keep warm.
• Wipe out the pan with paper towels and return to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until it begins to turn a medium brown color, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, immediately add the lemon zest and juice and dill, and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the soft shell crabs and serve the succotash on the side.

YELLOW CORN-COATED SOFTSHELL CRABS WITH RED-CHILE MUSTARD SAUCE SERVED ON WATERCRESS

Steps:

• For the Sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pasilla and ancho chile powders and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until almost dry. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the mustard and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• For the Crabs: Place the flour, cornmeal and eggs in separate bowls and season each with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge each crab in flour, shake off any excess and dip into beaten eggs, covering completely. Dredge in cornmeal. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat until it begins to smoke. Saute 4 crabs at a time until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter lined with paper towels. Wipe out the pan each time with a clean cloth or paper towel. Place watercress in a bowl and toss with vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange dressed watercress on a large platter, place crabs on top. Serve with Red Chile-Mustard Sauce.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CORN AND ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Place a couple of inches of water in pot, and bring to boil.
• Shuck corn, and steam it over the boiling water for about 2 minutes, until tender. Remove and cool.
• Chop onion. Heat nonstick skillet; reduce heat to medium-high and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Saute onion until it softens and begins to brown.
• Meanwhile, scrape kernels and puree in food processor with milk.
• Rinse red pepper, and chop. Rinse crabs; dry on paper towels.
• When onion is soft, stir in corn puree and red pepper. Mix well. Heat through; season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan, and set aside. Keep warm.
• Heat remaining oil until it is very hot. Saute crabs until they brown and redden a little on both sides, about 5 minutes total.
• Cut lemon into wedges. To serve, top crabs with corn puree and, if desired, sprinkle with lemon juice.

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED SOFT-SHELLED CRABS WITH CILANTRO-LIME TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, salt, and pepper and pour into a 3-quart shallow dish. Add crabs and soak, covered and chilled, 1 hour.
• Heat enough oil to measure 2 inches deep in a wide 4-quart heavy pot (about 4 inches deep) to 375°F.
• Whisk together flour and cornmeal and transfer to a large sealable plastic bag. Lift 1 crab out of buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and shake in bag to coat with flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a tray. Repeat with remaining crabs, arranging them in 1 layer as coated.
• Deep-fry crabs, 2 at a time, turning over halfway through frying (watch out for popping), until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Drain crabs on paper towels and serve with tartar sauce.

YELLOW CORN-COATED SOFTSHELL CRABS WITH RED-CHILE MUSTARD SAUCE SERVED ON WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add pasilla and ancho chile powders and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until almost dry. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the mustard and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the flour, cornmeal and eggs in separate bowls and season each with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge each crab in flour, shake off any excess and dip into beaten eggs, covering completely. Dredge in cornmeal. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat until it begins to smoke. Saute 4 crabs at a time until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter lined with paper towels. Wipe out the pan each time with a clean cloth or paper towel. Place watercress in a bowl and toss with vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange dressed watercress on a large platter, place crabs on top. Serve with Red Chile-Mustard Sauce.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CORN AND BLACK-BEAN SALSA

Steps:

• Shuck fresh corn, and steam for about 3 minutes. If using frozen corn, cook 1 minute in 1 tablespoon water.
• Rinse the crabs. Drain and dry.
• Beat egg whites until slightly foamy; dip crabs in egg whites and then in the flour to coat lightly. Set aside on a piece of wax paper.
• Drain corn, cool and scrape off kernels into a serving bowl.
• Wash, trim, seed and chop half the jalapeno pepper and all the red pepper; peel and dice the mangoes, and add to the bowl with the corn.
• Drain the beans, rinse thoroughly and drain again; add to bowl.
• Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the crabs. Saute them on both sides until they are brown -- 4 or 5 minutes.
• Add the vinegar and lime juice to the corn mixture; season with salt and pepper, and serve with crabs on the side.