Crab and Parsley Salad
By Chef John Ash
One of the real treats of summer are fresh soft-shell crab, which are now widely available. Ideally, you want to prepare the crabs while they are alive. There is a good tutorial on www.seriouseats.com on how to clean these crabs. The bright fruit of the Russian River Chardonnay would be a perfect pairing.
Serves 4
Total Time 1 hour
Prep Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Level Easy
Ingredients
1 c cornmeal (for the crab)
2 tsp Old Bay or your favorite fish seasoning (for the crab)
4 soft-shell crabs
3 tbsp butter (for the crab)
2 tbsp natural vegetable oil like canola (for the crab)
Kosher salt, to taste (for the crab)
2 c gently packed flat-leaf parsley leaves (for the salad)
1/3 c thinly sliced shallots or green onion (for the salad)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for the salad)
1 tbsp lemon juice (for the salad)
1 tbsp drained capers (for the salad)
Sea salt (for the salad)
Freshly ground black pepper (for the salad)
Toasts cut from coarse country-style bread (for the salad)
Directions
In a mixing bowl stir together the cornmeal and Old Bay. Dredge the crabs in the cornmeal mixture, shake off any excess and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the butter and oil. When the butter begins to foam fry the crabs, belly-side down. Cook, swirling the pan regularly until the crabs are golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Turn the crabs and turn the heat down to medium and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer the crabs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt while they're still hot.
Divide the soft-shell crabs and parsley salad among 4 plates and serve immediately.
