Softshell Crabs with Tarragon Sauce

Softshell Crabs with Tarragon Sauce

Ingredients:

4 small or 3 large softshell crabs, cleaned

flour for dredging

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots

? teaspoon vinegar

? cup white wine

2 branches fresh tarragon, finely chopped (1/2 teaspoon dried)

2 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (pinch dried)

2 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (1/4 teaspoon dried)

2 fresh oregano leaves, chopped (1/4 teaspoon dried)

Directions:

Combine flour, salt and pepper and coat crabs with mixture, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a skillet, add crabs and saute until golden. Drain and keep warm.

Pour off oil from skillet. Add butter, shallots, vinegar and wine and beat with a wire whisk over low heat until mixture becomes creamy. Stir in tarragon, sage, basil and oregano. Pour sauce over crabs and serve immediately.
Serves 1.

Spicy Stuffed Softshell Crabs

Spicy Stuffed Softshell Crabs

Ingredients:

6 jumbo soft crabs

1 pound backfin crab meat

12 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

1 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

flour to coat soft crabs

soybean oil for frying

Directions:

Toss backfin crab meat with cracker crumbs, Old Bay, salt and pepper. Mix together mustard, mayonnaise and egg whites. Add to crab meat and mix lightly.

Stuff soft crab cavity with mixture. Pile high enough to make a mound in center of soft crab. Shape with hands. Coat with flour.

Brown on back first in about an inch of oil in electric fry pan at 375 degrees. Turn and brown on top side. Remove from oil with large slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Serve on lettuce leaf. Garnish with lemon and tomato wedges.

Serves 6.