Crispy Soft Shell Crabs

Name: Crispy Soft Shell Crabs
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 small Spanish onion, finely diced; 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels; 1 cup drained canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained again; 1 cup fresh or frozen lima beans, blanched (see page 249); 1 ripe beefsteak tomato, halved, seeded, and diced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 2 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 3/4 cup Wondra flour; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 8 medium soft shell crabs, cleaned; 8 tablespoons canola oil; 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; Juice of 1 lemon; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

December 14, 2011

Soft shell crab season is short and sweet. When it’s here, you want to make the most of it. Highlighting the flavor of the crab is what matters, and I employ a secret weapon to help me do just that. Wondra flour is a superfinely milled (“instant”) flour that creates a very thin, almost stealthlike coating around the crabs. What you taste is crisp soft shell crab unadulterated by any thick batter. Simply hit some nutty browned butter with tart lemon juice and anise-flavored dill (an herb that I think is too often forgotten) for an easy and delicious sauce. Soft shell crabs make their appearance in summer, so it’s only fitting to pair them with some of summer’s best: fresh lima beans, beefsteak tomatoes (I like local Jersey tomatoes, myself), and of course, corn. This succotash recipe should be considered a guide; try it with whichever fresh vegetables catch your eye at the market.

Recipe notes

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