Soft Shell Crab Blt With Lemon Pepper Mayonnaise Recipes

SOFT-SHELL CRAB WITH PRESERVED LEMON AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Season the flour for dredging: mix together flour, cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika and salt in a shallow bowl. Quickly dip both sides of the crabs in flour mixture and shake off excess.
• Put 4 tablespoons melted butter in a large, wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When butter is hot, carefully put in the crabs, top side down. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until well crisped and cooked through. Remove crabs to a warmed platter. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Add 4 more tablespoons melted butter to pan and add sliced almonds. Stir to coat and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add preserved lemon and cilantro and turn off heat.
• Spoon butter sauce over crabs, surround with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB B.L.T. WITH LEMON-PEPPER MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• To make the mayonnaise: In a food processor, combine the egg yolks, salt, mustard, and lemon juice; process together to form a stable base. With the motor running, add a few drops of the oil, the mixture will begin to thicken. Then, begin adding the remaining oil in a thin, steady stream. Scrape down the sides of the processor and pour the mayonnaise into a small bowl. Mix in the black pepper and parsley, cover, and refrigerate; may be kept for up to 3 days.
• 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 build the sandwich: Spread the lemon pepper mayonnaise on both halves of the toasted bread, add the lettuce, tomato, bacon, and avocado. Lay a fried soft-shell crab on top and close up the sandwich.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the coating: in a shallow dish, stir the all the coating ingredients together.
• Remove the feeler underneath the crab shells on both sides; rinse the crab and dry carefully.
• In a big skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the vegetable oil; add in shallots and saute until lightly softened, about 1 minute.
• Roll the crabs in the flour mixture and place them in the skillet; saute, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side.
• When they have finished cooking and have turned pink, add the lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and cook another minute or two.
• Make sure the garlic is cooked but not browned; taste for seasoning.
• Transfer the crabs to individual plates and garnish with lemon and parsley; serve immediately.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB BLT SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Mix the mayonnaise, chives, and tarragon in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Cut each strip in half to make 12 pieces total.
• Pour out and reserve the bacon fat; wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
• Whisk the eggs in a shallow dish.
• Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a second dish.
• Dip each crab in the eggs, then in the flour to coat completely.
• Transfer to the baking sheet and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to set the crust.
• Heat the oil and reserved bacon fat in a large skillet over med-high heat until the oil shimmers.
• Carefully add the crabs to the skillet (the crabs could splatter, so be careful).
• Cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Using a thin slotted metal spatula, turn the crabs and cook to brown the other sides, about 3 minutes.
• Using the spatula, transfer the crabs to paper towels to drain briefly.
• Spread the buns with the herb mayonnaise.
• Top each bottom bun half with a crab, 3 bacon slices, 2 tomato slices, and a lettuce leaf, then the top bun half.
• Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB SANDWICHES WITH RED-PEPPER MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• To make the mayonnaise, puree the peppers in a blender until smooth. Scrape into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Stir in the mayonnaise, cayenne and salt. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• To make the crabs, combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat the crabs in the flour mixture. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the crabs and saute until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spread 4 slices of bread with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise each. Top with a crab, shredded lettuce and bread. Serve immediately.

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Combine flour and seafood seasoning in a resealable zip-top bag. Seal and shake to mix. Combine egg and milk in a bowl. Dredge crabs in egg mixture, then add to seasoned flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess when removing from bag.
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add crabs in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes; flip and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Remove to a serving dish.
• Mix mayonnaise, chives, pickle juice, mustard, seafood seasoning, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together for remoulade. Serve with crabs.