Of all the shellfish that swim in the sea, the crab is, to me, the best to eat. West Coasters say they prefer the large, pliant Dungeness to the smaller, but incomparably sweet hard-shelled blue crab. The real reason for their preference is that the Dungeness is far easier to eat.
There is a time, however, when the blue crab is easy to eat, too-when it’s in its soft-shell stage.
The soft-shell crab is harvested in the brief time span between the shedding of its hard shell and the firming of a new shell. At this point, the soft, pliable surface is edible, as is virtually the entire crab.
Even in the not-so-distant past, on the East Coast, the harvesting of soft-shells was a summertime happening, coming to the market after shad roe for a season of six weeks to two months. Of late, however, a “farming” technique-by which “peeler” crabs (a hard crab that has formed a soft shell under the hard outer shell that is peeled away) are kept in tanks on the land-has made harvesting more efficient and lengthened the season. Also, improved freezing methods allow soft-shells to show up on some restaurant menus virtually year-round.
They come in four sizes: the seldom-seen “spiders” (with the legal minimum of 3 1/2 inches across), “hotel prime” (4 to 4 1/2 inches), “prime” (5 to 5 1/2 inches) and “jumbo” (6 to 7 inches). As the size increases, price increases because there is more edible meat on the larger crabs.
While the Chesapeake Bay was the blue-crab mecca of my youth, soft-shells are popular in other culinary cultures as well.
Owner Henry Markwood and chef Paul Larson of the Winnetka Grill, 64 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, have been exploring the multiple ways of preparing soft-shells. This year they did it with a June festival during which at least half a dozen different preparations were offered on each evening’s menu. A trio is is reproduced here.
To begin with something basic, however, over the years I have come to believe that flash-frying soft-shells in a Japanese tempura batter is the most successful preparation. The coating is crisp and light yet flavorful and virtually free of grease. The crab, puffed from the shock of hot oil, emerges meaty and pristinely sweet.
TEMPURA BATTER FOR SOFT-SHELL CRABS
For eight medium or 12 small crabs
8 or 12 soft-shell crabs, cleaned and patted dry
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper, either black or 1/4 teaspoon each black and red
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon grated ginger, optional
2 cups oil for frying, peanut or canola preferred
1. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and pepper. Stir well. Add egg yolk, optional ginger and 3/4 cup water and stir with a whisk until a batter has formed.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan to 375 degrees. Heat oven to warm.
3. Dip crabs, 2 or 3 at a time, in batter. Transfer to hot oil and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place in warming oven while cooking remaining crabs. Serve with lemon wedges and a cruet of soy sauce.
WINNETKA GRILL’S SOFT-SHELL CRABS AND SUMMER VEGETABLES
Four servings
1 pound fava beans
1 pound fresh peas
2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 large summer tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh mint
1/2 cup flour
Salt and white pepper
4 large or 8 medium soft-shell crabs, cleaned and ready for preparation
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, unsalted preferred
Juice of 1 lime
1. Prepare the vegetables: Shell the fava beans, then peel them. Shell the peas. Blanch the beans and peas separately in boiling, salted water until just tender. Drain and combine. Husk corn and cut kernels from the cob; add to the bowl of beans and peas. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes. Chop the mint.
2. When ready to eat, season flour with salt and pepper and use to dredge crabs. Shake off excess flour. Line a baking pan with paper towels and set aside. Set oven to warm and place 4 medium plates in the oven.
3. Heat oil in a skillet large enough to hold the crabs in a single layer. Saute crabs in oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 2 minutes, or until browned and firm. Transfer to baking pan and keep warm.
4. Discard oil from skillet, add butter and the vegetables. Saute over medium-high heat until warm and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Center the vegetables on the warmed plates. Place a crab on the vegetables on each plate. Sprinkle with mint and lime juice and serve at once.
WINNETKA GRILL’S ORIENTAL SOFT-SHELL CRABS
Four servings
1 small head Napa cabbage
8 shiitake mushrooms
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 can (1 ounce) wasabi powder+
1/4 cup half-and-half
4 large or 8 medium soft-shell crabs, cleaned and ready for preparation
1 cup sake
1/4 cup peeled and diced gingerroot
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons sesame oil
8 tablespoons butter, unsalted preferred
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (optional garnish)
+ Available at Treasure Island stores and Asian markets
1. Prepare vegetables: Cut cabbage into narrow strips. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms; cut caps into thin slices; remove and discard tops and seeds from both peppers; cut remainder into julienne strips. Reserve. Whisk half-and-half into wasabi powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat oven to warm and place 4 medium-size plates in oven. Place crabs in a non-stick skillet. Add sake, gingerroot and lemon juice. Bring liquid to a simmer and cook over moderate heat 4 to 5 minutes. Remove crabs and keep warm.
3. Bring sake mixture to a boil and reduce by a quarter. Lower heat to a bare simmer.
4. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a wok or saute pan and stir-fry cabbage, mushroom strips and peppers until barely tender.
5. Whisk the butter into reduced sake mixture, a tablespoon at a time; strain.
6. Center the stir-fried vegetables on each plate. Place a crab on each vegetable mound. Spoon the sake sauce onto the plate to encircle the vegetables. Drizzle wasabi cream over the entire plate and garnish with optional sesame seeds.
WINNETKA GRILL’S GERMAN-STYLE SOFT-SHELL CRABS
Four servings
2 ears fresh sweet corn
1 pound fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
4 small duck, venison or chicken sausages
4 large or 8 medium soft-shell crabs, cleaned and ready for preparation
2 12-ounce bottles dark beer, German preferred
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted preferred
Salt and pepper
1. Husk the corn and cut kernels from the cob; clean and stem spinach; peel and chop garlic; grill or saute sausages.
2. Turn oven to warm and heat 4 low-rimmed bowls. Place crabs, corn and sausages in a skillet. Pour in the beer, bring to a boil and simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. In another skillet, heat butter; add garlic then spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Divide spinach among the 4 warmed bowls. Place a crab atop the spinach in each bowl. Ladle the remaining broth around the crabs. Garnish with corn and the sausages.
