Pan Seared Wild Rockfish And Soft Shell Crab Tempura With Ginger And Yuzu Glaze Cucumber And Toasted Nori Recipes

ALMOND CRUSTED SOFT-SHELL CRAB, WITH A FENNEL AND ARTICHOKE SALAD WITH ROASTED ALMOND PUREE

Steps:

• Peel the oranges, leaving no pith, and segment ("V" cut between the membranes). Cut the segments into a small dice. Reserve the juice for the vinaigrette.
• Peel the carrot and shave on a mandoline with the julienne attachment.
• Peel off the outer leaves of the artichoke. Peel the skin at the base. Cut the top of the artichoke where the leaves start. Remove the choke. Cut into 4 wedges. Juice half the lemon in a quart of water and add to a saucepot. Add the cleaned artichoke and simmer until tender. Refresh in cold water and reserve.
• Peel the fennel and shave on a mandolin. Hold in acidulated water (water to cover with the other half of the lemon squeezed into it) until ready to use.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees F.
• Trim the bottom flap, eyes, and lungs of the crabs with a pair of kitchen scissors. Reserve.
• Submerge the crabs in the Tempura Batter. Sprinkle the top with the almonds. Deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
• Add the salad to a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and 1/2 of the vinaigrette. Arrange in the center of a plate. Arrange the crabs atop. Make 5 pools of the almond puree around the salad. Add the diced blood oranges to the remaining vinaigrette and drizzle around.
• Put the rice flour, salt, and pepper into a mixing bowl and form a well in the center. Add the egg yolk and water to the center of the bowl all at once. Whisk, starting from the center slowly moving outward, incorporating the dry ingredients. Stop mixing when just incorporated. Reserve until ready to use in a cold place.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Toast the almonds on a cookie sheet until golden brown. Add the butter to a saucepot and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar, juice, salt, pepper, and nuts. Reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Toast the almonds on a cookie sheet until golden brown. Add to a saucepot along with the chicken stock and simmer until the nuts are tender. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Pass through fine strainer. Put in a squirt bottle. Reserve warm until ready to use.

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.

TEMPURA SOFT-SHELL CRAB

Steps:

• Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large Dutch oven, and heat to 350°.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
• Stir yolk into soda water in a 2-cup measure until blended; pour over flour mixture, and, using a large fork, gently combine (the batter should remain slightly lumpy and should have the consistency of heavy cream).
• Dip 2 crabs into batter, letting excess batter drip back into bowl, and carefully slip into the hot oil, top-side down. Fry 1 1/2 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200° oven. Repeat with remaining oil and crabs.
• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with Asian Slaw and Crab Dipping Sauce.

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.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS, PAN-FRIED

Steps:

• Pat the crabs dry with paper towels.
• Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crabs backside down and sprinkle with pepper flakes. Cover the crabs with a spatter-proof shield or a lid held at an angle to prevent spattering. Cook for three to four minutes.
• Turn the crabs over and add the almonds. The butter will now be starting to brown. Cook for an additional three minutes, or until the crabs are cooked. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper and serve with the lemon.

TEMPURA OF SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Lay crabs backside down on a cutting board, and cut in half lengthwise, so that each half has a claw.
• Stir about 1 1/4 cups water into the flour to make a smooth, thick batter. Add baking soda and ice cubes.
• Pour enough oil into a deep pot to fill it halfway, and heat to 375 degrees. (To test, carefully sprinkle a drop or two of water into the pot. If the oil rumbles, it's not hot enough. If it crackles, it is.)
• Dip crab pieces, four at a time, into batter, and immediately drop into hot oil. Stir after several seconds to separate the pieces, then cook until golden brown, 30 to 45 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining crab pieces. Salt to taste, and serve immediately.