Softshell Crab Sandwich With Toasted Paprika Aioli Recipes

SOFT-SHELL CRAB TOAST

Steps:

• In a blender, combine parsley, jalapeño, lemon juice and salt. Add oil and 3 tablespoons water. Purée until sauce is smooth, adding additional water if needed, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a thick yet pourable sauce. Transfer sauce to a bowl and add more salt or lemon juice, or both, if needed.
• Heat broiler. Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Rub toast with cut garlic. Drizzle with oil or slather with butter (butter is nice on pain de mie), remove from pan and set aside.
• Lightly coat crabs with oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer, belly side up, to a large baking sheet (you can use the same one you used for the toast). Broil, turning once, until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Place one crab on top of each toast. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over each crab and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

CRAB TOAST WITH LEMON AIOLI

Steps:

• Lemon Aioli:
• Whisk egg yolk, garlic, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil, drop by drop at first, until aioli is thickened and smooth; season with salt and more lemon juice, if desired.
• Crab Toast:
• Toss crabmeat, fennel fronds, 1 chile, and 2 tbsp oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt; add more chile, if desired.
• Drizzle both sides of bread with remaining 4 tbsp oil; working in batches, toast in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Spread each piece of toast with 1 tbsp aioli. Top with crabmeat; cut each toast into 4 pieces. Place a small dab of aioli in center of each piece; serve with lemon wedges. (Extra aioli can be used for dressings or dips.)

SOFT SHELL CRAB SANDWICH WITH HARISSA AIOLI

Steps:

• Add canola oil to a high-walled pot and bring to 375 degrees F.
• Dredge the crabs through the flour, shaking them to remove any excess flour, and gently place them one by one into the cooking oil.
• Allow the crabs to cook on one side for 3 minutes, then carefully flip each crab and cook on the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
• Once the crabs are crisp, remove them from the oil and allow them to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Season the crabs immediately with salt.
• Mix the harissa and mayonnaise in a bowl and then spread the aioli onto both sides of the buns.
• Place lettuce and pickles on the bottom of each of the buns, then top with crabs and serve.

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.

FIRECRACKER SHRIMP ROLL WITH CRAB AIOLI

Steps:

• Combine mayonnaise, crab, garlic, salt, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and tarragon in a bowl for the crab aioli. Stir to combine and refrigerate until needed.
• Remove tails from shrimp and keep chilled until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, chipotle pepper, cayenne, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl.
• Mix flour, cornmeal, paprika, and salt together in a shallow dish for the breading.
• Slice partway through each sandwich roll, splitting it open. Scoop out some bread from the top to make room for the filling.
• Toast rolls in the preheated oven until crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Soak shrimp in the buttermilk mixture for about 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Spread crab aioli generously over both sides of each roll; top with sliced lettuce.
• Toss shrimp in the breading to coat; shake off any excess. Fry shrimp in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately transfer shrimp onto the rolls. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.

AIOLI FOR PEEKYTOE CRAB TOAST

Steps:

• Place mustard, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; process to combine. Add egg and, with the motor running, slowly add olive oil until mixture is thickened and emulsified. Aioli can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 days.