Soft Shell Crabs With Spiced Cucumber Salad Recipes

TEMPURA SOFTSHELL CRABS WITH ASIAN SALAD AND CITRUS GASTRIQUE

Steps:

• For the softshells: To clean, remove the tail, gills, and eyes. Season with salt and pepper. For the tempura batter: Whisk all the ingredients resulting in a smooth batter. Season with salt and pepper. Dip the softshell into the tempura batter, shaking off any excess. Remove the basket from the fryer.
• First, carefully holding the top of the softshell, drag the legs through the oil first, for 1 minute. This will allow the individual legs to fry separately instead together. Then lay the softshell, top side down, into the oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden, flip the softshell over and continue frying for additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the fryer and allow to drain on a paper-lined plate.
• To assemble, toss the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mound the salad in the center of the platter. Arrange the softshell around the salad. Drizzle the gastrique over the entire platter. Garnish with the chopped peanuts, chopped chives, Essence, and long chives.
• 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.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH SPICED CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place cucumbers in a colander, toss with salt and set over a bowl to drain. Mix mayonnaise and sriracha, and set aside in a small serving dish.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a small skillet and add mustard seeds. When sizzling, add ginger, shallots and chilies. Sauté until shallots soften. Remove from heat, add vinegar and stir. Rinse and drain cucumbers, place in a shallow serving bowl and fold in shallot mixture. Sprinkle with mint.
• In a bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1 tablespoon water. Mix chickpea flour and curry powder, and spread on a plate. Dip crabs in egg, then in flour mixture. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet. Add crabs and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, turning once. You may need two shifts. Remove from pan and arrange on cucumber salad.
• Serve, with red chili mayonnaise on the side, or serve on buns spread with mayonnaise and piled with salad.

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.

LOW CARB SPICY SRIRACHA CRAB AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• First peel the skin from your cucumber.
• Next, use a spiralizer to turn your cucumber into even more refreshing noodles (or you can just chop it, like I do).
• Drizzle the noodles very lightly with optional rice vinegar.
• In a small bowl, combine the mayo and Sriracha to make "spicy mayo".
• Shred the crab, or chop it up with a knife.
• Combine the crab with the spicy mayo and put on top of the cucumber.
• Top with avocado.
• Garnish with panko breadcrumbs and dig in!