Grilled Softshell Crab Salad With Green Garlic Vinaigrette Recipes

SOFT-SHELL CRAB SALAD WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

Steps:

• To make the green goddess dressing: Simply puree the ingredients together in a blender, until light green and creamy. Cover and stick the dressing in the fridge to allow the flavors to come together.
• To prepare the soft-shell crabs: Pour the buttermilk in a shallow bowl large enough to hold all the crabs. Season the buttermilk with crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper. Lay the crabs in the buttermilk mixture and marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour; soaking the crabs in buttermilk helps plump them up when cooked. Remove the crabs from the milk bath and let the excess drip off.
• Pour 2 inches of oil in a heavy frying pan or large pot and heat to 350 degrees F.
• 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. 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.
• To assemble the salad: combine the watercress, lettuce, and onion slices in a mixing bowl. Pour in 1/2 cup of the green goddess dressing, tossing to coat. Arrange the salad on a serving platter, put the fried crabs on top, and grate the hard boiled egg over the whole thing. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• To make the vinaigrette, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the corn oil and then the olive oil. Stir in the garlic and herbs. Set aside.
• Coat the crabs lightly with the flour. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the corn oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until the oil smokes. Add the crabs top side down and sauté for 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the crabs over, lower the heat to medium and sauté until browned on the bottom and cooked through, about 3 1/2 minutes.
• Spoon a pool of the vinaigrette into the center of 4 plates. Pat the crabs dry and place in the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH FRESH HERB VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Whisk shallot, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, parsley, chives, cilantro, and dill together in a large bowl. Slowly stream olive oil into the mixture while whisking vigorously until the oil is incorporated into a smooth and creamy dressing.
• Arrange asparagus, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, green onions, bell pepper, and red onion onto baking sheets. Brush olive oil onto all the vegetables to coat; season with salt and pepper.
• Cook vegetables directly on preheated grill, turning frequently, until slightly charred and just tender, about 5 minutes for green onions, 8 minutes for asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, and red onion, and 10 minutes for corn. Remove vegetables to the baking sheets used for preparation and cool.
• Cut asparagus, green onions, zucchini, yellow squash, and red bell pepper crosswise into 1-inch pieces and put into a large bowl. Quarter red onion slices; add to bowl. Cut corn kernels from cobs; add to bowl. Let vegetables cool to room temperature.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat.

GRILLED GREEN SALAD WITH COFFEE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine onions, tomatillos, nopales, garlic, cheese, and 1/3 cup olive oil in a large resealable plastic bag; season with salt and pepper. Seal bag, pressing out air, and toss to coat. Let sit at least 1 hour.
• Whisk vinegar, honey, and espresso in a medium bowl until honey and espresso are dissolved. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Prepare grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grates. (Or, heat a grill pan over medium-high.) Remove onions, tomatillos, and nopales from marinade; grill, turning occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Remove cheese from marinade and grill, turning often, until browned on all sides, 8-10 minutes; let cool.
• Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; coarsely chop cheese.
• Arrange greens on a platter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with half of vinaigrette. Top with cucumber, herbs, and grilled vegetables and cheese; drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.
• Do Ahead: Vinaigrette can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

CHICKPEA CRAB SALAD WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together first seven ingredients. Stir in beans, radishes, green onions, carrot, parsley and pistachios. Gently stir in crab. Serve over greens.

GRILLED QUAIL SALAD WITH CREAMY GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• Mince garlic and in a small bowl stir together with mustard, vinegar, and cream. Add oils in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified, and season with pepper and salt.
• Roast and peel bell pepper . Cut pepper into 1/4-inch dice. Separate lettuce leaves from head, leaving them whole, and discard coarse stems from watercress. Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Prepare grill.
• Halve each quail lengthwise through breast and pat dry. Rub quail lightly all over with oil and season with pepper and salt. Grill quail on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until skin is well browned but meat is still pink. (Alternatively, grill quail in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)
• In a large bowl toss watercress and mushrooms with just enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. Arrange lettuce on each of 4 large plates and top with watercress mixture and bell pepper. Arrange quail on top of salad and sprinkle with tarragon. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

GRILLED SOFT SHELL CRABS WITH JICAMA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine jicama, cucumber, and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Dress with 4 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt, mix well and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes, chiles, garlic, onions, avocado and remaining chopped cilantro. Dress with remaining lime juice, season with salt, mix gently and set aside.
• Lightly brush a hot grill or grill pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brush crabs with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then place on grill and cook until firm, about 2 or more minutes on each side.
• To serve, divide jicama salad and tomato-avocado salsa between four plates. Top each plate with 2 crabs and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

WOOD ROASTED SOFT SHELL CRAB AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Special equipment: Wood-fire oven.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Create a fire in a wood-fire oven.
• For the vinaigrette:.
• Render the pancetta over low heat in a pan until slightly crisp, and then remove from the pan and reserve the fat. Return a small amount of fat to the pan and gently cook the garlic, shallots, oregano, thyme and some salt and pepper.
• Remove from the heat and pour in the vinegar to deglaze (do not simmer to reduce). Scrape up any remaining bits stuck to the pan, then pour into a bowl and whisk in the mustard. Measure the remaining pancetta fat; add enough of the olive oil to make 1 cup. Whisk the oil into the vinegar mixture and season with salt and pepper.
• For the salad:.
• Drizzle the asparagus spears with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven and let char until tender but still toothsome.
• Sprinkle the crabs with salt and pepper and rub with a small amount of oil. Place on a heatproof pan and into the fire and roast until cooked through.
• Combine the radishes, spring onions, green garlic, herbs and pea tendrils in a bowl. Toss with enough vinaigrette to coat. Add a small amount of vinaigrette to the hot pan with the asparagus and coat.
• Divide the asparagus among 4 plates and top with the salad and 1 crab each. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.