Crab In Shells Recipes

CRAB IN SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat 8 scallop shells, crab shells, or 2 1/2-inch-diameter heatproof ramekins with cooking spray.
• Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onion and bell peppers and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. (No need to wash the skillet yet.)
• In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, capers, Cajun seasoning, eggs, Tabasco, and parsley. Stir in the sautéed vegetables, crab, 1 cup of the panko crumbs, salt, and pepper. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the crab mixture into each of the prepared shells. Set aside.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat in the skillet used to sauté the vegetables. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of panko and stir to coat the crumbs with butter. Top each portion of crab with about a tablespoon of the buttered crumbs. Bake until the crumb topping turns golden brown and the crab mixture is heated through, 10 to 15 minutes (a little longer if the crab mixture has been refrigerated).
• Serve immediately.
• variation
• For a passed appetizer, shape the crab mixture into bite-size cakes. Coat them in panko crumbs and sauté in a skillet heated with 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Cook over medium heat until the crab cakes are golden brown on both sides and heated all the way through, about 3 minutes per side.
• do it early
• The dish can be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking.
• tip
• Don't want the hassle of preparing individual servings? Add the crab mixture to a large, shallow, ovenproof casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with buttered panko crumbs and bake until the crab casserole is warm throughout, at least 15 minutes.

CRAB STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375ºF.
• Cook pasta shells according to the package directions.
• Drain and rinse with cool water.
• Sauce: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomatoes, red pepper, and oregano and lower heat to medium-low.
• Cover the pan and simmer the mixture 15 min.
• Stir in the salt.
• Combine crab, ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper.
• l.
• Stuff each pasta shell with some of the ricotta mixture.
• Lay the stuffed shells in a baking dish Add tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the sauce.
• Bake 20 min or so until sauce is bubbly.

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.