Fried Soft Shell Crab With Creole Choron Sauce Recipes

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and pepper; place on a dinner plate. Dredge 2 soft-shell crabs in flour mixture, shaking off excess (make sure crabs are completely coated).
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking. Place flour-coated crabs, back side down, in sauté pan; reduce heat to medium if pan starts to smoke. Sauté crabs until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes (do not stand too close to pan; crabs tend to spatter during cooking). Turn crabs over, and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and a large pinch of parsley to skillet. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over crabs. Keep warm in a low oven. Repeat process until all the crabs are cooked.

FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRAB WITH CREOLE CHORON SAUCE

Steps:

• To fry the Soft-Shells: Heat the peanut oil to 360 degrees F in a Dutch oven. The Dutch oven should be large enough to have the oil about 3-4 inches deep and halfway up the sides of the pot. When the oil is hot dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then dipping into the batter. Be sure to completely coat the crabs and let any excess drip off. Carefully place the crabs into the oil upside down (this will make the claws stand up a bit for presentation.). Fry only two at a time maximum until they are golden brown and they float to the surface. Be sure to let the oil come back to temperature before frying the next batch. Drain on paper towels and season with Kosher salt. Caution - Soft-shells have a tendency to spit hot oil, or pop when the inside liquids heat up, so be careful.