Ingredient of the Month
July: Soft-Shell Crab

It’s hard to find a more popular shellfish on the East Coast this time of year than Soft-Shell Crab.

Buying: Soft-shell crabs are blue crabs that have shed shells they have outgrown and have yet to replace them. These crabs are usually caught between 6 and 48 hours after they being to molt. Soft-shell crabs are typically sold live, but they are usually in such a weakened state that they might appear to be dead. It should feel very soft – like velvet to the touch.

Storing: Either cook them immediately or wrap them in a damp cloth, and store them in the refrigerator for no longer than 12 hours. Do not store them at room temperature for any significant length of time.

Preparing: When ready to cook, rinse the crab under cold, running water. Remove the gills (the feathery material located under the two sides of the shell), apron (the flap on the under belly) and pincers. Then snip off the face (front pincers and eyes).

Fact: Soft-shell crabs are considered a delicacy because of the extremely short fishing season which makes them rare.


Soft-Shell Crabs with Mustard Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Mustard Sauce:
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
½ pound (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3 tablespoons grain mustard, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Soft-Shell Crab:
8 soft-shell crabs (4 ½ to 5 ounces each), cleaned
1 cup milk
½ cup Wondra flour, or all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
¼ canola oil

Method:

Put the lemon juice and water in a saucepan set over low heat. Heat the liquid to a simmer. Using an immersion blender or a whisk, add the butter one cube at a time. Keep the butter sauce at a tepid temperature as you whisk. It should be just warm to the touch. Add the grain and Dijon mustards and season with the salt to taste. Set aside.

Put the milk and Wondra flour in two separate bowls wide and deep enough to hold 1 crab. Season the flour with salt and 4 grinds of pepper, or to taste, and mix well.

Dip the crabs on both sides in milk, then dredge in Wondra flour, shaking off any excess flour.

Heat a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter. The butter will sizzle and foam. When the foam begins to subside, add 4 crabs to the pan and cook until golden-brown and crispy on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Crabs tend to “pop” open and spray their juices when cooked, so stand back from the pan as they get hotter.) Remove the crabs from the pan, set on a clean, dry surface, and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and crabs.

To serve, divide the mustard sauce among 4 plates. Top the sauce on each plate with 2 crabs and serve.

Terms and Techniques: Wondra flour is a combination of barley and wheat flour. It crisps up especially well when fried, and doesn’t clump up as other flours do.

The Reason: The crabs are dipped in milk, because the milk helps the flour adhere to the crabs. Beaten egg or egg wash would be too heavy in texture and flavor.