It’s almost impossible to cook soft-shell crabs badly, said Mark Bittman in The New York Times. They’re so moist that you can’t overcook them, and “they cook so quickly they’re hard to undercook.” Almost all soft-shell crab
fanciers prefer to enhance their built-in crispiness by frying them. The coating should contain cornmeal and “a quick dip in milk or eggs” to help the coating adhere. A favorite New Orleans riff is to create a po’boy. “Oddly
enough, the true po’boy is made on less-than-fabulous bread,” since a good baguette can often prove to be too tough. Supermarket bread that’s labeled “French” or “Italian” works well. If you’re squeamish, you may want to ask your fishmonger to clean the crabs for you. Serve with spicy coleslaw.
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Recipes of the week
Soft-Shell Crab Po’boy
1 12- to 16-inch-long loaf supermarket French- or Italian-style bread,
or 2 smaller loaves
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp cayenne, or more
Salt
Neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed, as needed
2 large soft-shell crabs, cleaned
For garnish: mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, hot sauce or lemon
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Split bread in half and remove some of the soft white crumb with your fingers. Toast bread lightly in oven, about 10 to 15 minutes. Beat egg and milk together in a bowl; combine the cornmeal, flour, cayenne, and a large pinch of salt on a plate. Put about 1/4 inch of oil in a deep skillet that’s broad enough to accommodate crabs, and turn heat to medium. When oil is hot enough—a pinch of flour will sizzle—dip crabs in milk-egg mixture, then dredge in the cornmeal-flour mixture. Put in skillet;
adjust heat until crabs bubble gently but not furiously in oil.
When bottom is nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes, turn crabs and brown other side; crabs will be quite firm when done. Serve on toasted bread, garnished as you like. Serves 2.
Spicy Coleslaw
From How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark
Bittman (John Wiley).
More interesting, more flavorful, and far less fat-laden than traditional coleslaw, which is mayonnaise-based. Dijon is the mustard of choice here, though you can substitute whole-grain mustard if you like; steer clear of ordinary yellow or brown mustards.
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup diced scallions
6 cups cored and shredded Napa, Savoy, green, and/or red cabbage
1/2 cup olive, peanut, or vegetable oil
2 tbsp sherry or balsamic vinegar
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, peeled if desired, seeded, and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Whisk together mustard and vinegar in a small bowl; add oil a little at a time, whisking all the while. Add sugar and whisk to dissolve. Combine cabbage, peppers, and scallions, and toss with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve (it’s best to let this rest for an hour or so before serving to allow flavors to mellow; you can let it sit longer, up to 24 hours, if you like). Just before serving, toss with parsley. Makes about 2 quarts.
