Cooks Note How To Eat Hard Shell Crab Recipes

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.

COOK'S NOTE: HOW TO EAT HARD-SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• To remove meat from a cooked hard-shell crab, first twist off the legs and claws close to the body. Break each claw and leg with a nutcracker remove the meat with a cocktail fork or nut pick.Holding the crab in both hands, insert your thumb under the shell by the apron hinge. Pull the body away from the shell.With a spoon, remove the meat and roe from the shell. Discard the stomach bag located between the eyes. Discard the shell.

BOILED HARD-SHELL BLUE CRABS

Steps:

• Make Cocktail Sauce.
• Heat water to boiling in stockpot or canner. Drop 4 crabs at a time into water. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes; drain. Repeat with remaining crabs.
• Follow directions for How to Eat Crabmeat. Serve with Cocktail Sauce.

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.