Summertime Softshell Crabs
I am often asked what is my favorite thing to cook, generally my response is food. After all food is my business and I am infatuated with all types. There are very few ingredients I wouldn't cook or for that matter and there are some dishes I just couldn't live without. Among them are Osso Buco, which is braised veal shanks, crème brulee, which I love simply for its simplicity. The matching of pears and Gorgonzola, the crunchy sweetness of the ripened fruit when mingled with the sharp creaminess of the Italian cheese is one of the great food combinations of all time. My absolute favorite seafood ingredient is the soft-shell crab. Louisiana blue point crabs shed their shell every time they go through a growing spurt. The crab will eventually harden its shell but for a brief amount of time the result is a completely edible crab. Hard soft-shell crabs are fished all along the Gulf coast and eastern seaboard. Caught in baited traps the crabs are culled through and the red liner crabs, which literally have a small red line on there underbelly and is an indication they are on the verge of softening, are set aside to molt in salted tanks. I often travel down to Cypremort Point, a fishing village south of Lafayette and scoop these crabs from their salty refuge. You would be hard pressed to find any fresher seafood. The only way would be if you were a crab fisherman. Traditionally the soft-shell crabs are deep-fried however my favorite method of cooking this summertime seafood is grilled.

Grilled Soft-Shell Crabs With Lump Crabmeat Sauté

Ingredients:
2 jumbo soft-shell crabs
1 tablespoon olive oil
one-half teaspoon granulated garlic
one-half teaspoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's
Creole Seasoning
Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
one quarter cup white wine
one-half teaspoon Tony Chachere's
Creole Seasoning
one quarter teaspoon hot sauce
one-half lb. lump crabmeat
 

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and marinate soft-shell crabs for 30 minutes. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side.
Sauce:
1. Add all ingredients to a sauté pan except for lump crabmeat. Simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the lump crabmeat and gently cook on simmer until thoroughly heated. Be careful not to break up lumps of crabmeat.
3. Top grilled crabs with crabmeat sauce.
Yields 2 servings.

Fried Soft Shell Crabs:

Ingredients:
4 cups Peanut Oil
4 cleaned soft-shell crabs
2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 teaspoons Pat's Spice Blend
½ lemon
4 cups Flour


Directions:
1. Pre heat peanut oil to 350 degrees.
2. Season soft-shell crabs with 2 teaspoons of Pat's Spice Blend and juice from lemon.
3. In a bowl beat together eggs, milk and 1 teaspoon of Pat's Spice Blend.
4. Season flour with remaining Pat's Spice Blend.
. 5. Dredge soft-shell crab in flour completely coating crab with flour. Shake off excess flour.
6. Dip floured crab in milk and egg batter and dredge back in flour. Shake of any excess flour.
7. Carefully drop crab in oil and fry until golden brown, turning several times.
8. Remove from oil and allow to drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
9. Serve with favorite dipping sauce.
Yields 4 fried soft shell crabs


Chef Patrick Mould
Louisiana Culinary Enterprises, Inc
http://louisianaschoolofcooking.com
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