Soft Shell Crabs
- Thread starter VeraBlue
- Start date
buckytom
Grill Master
i noticed a few restaurants around here offering soft shells. gotta strike while the iron's hot, i guess.
there's a fishmonger in the back of the paterson farmer's market that sells live sof shell crabs, but you have to be there by 7am on fridays or they're sold out. the guy said restaurants, especially japanese ones, clean him out within minutes of opening his doors. he reserves a few dozen for domestic customers though. and they go fast as well.
the last time i bought them, very small frozen ones, they were about $3 or $4 each.
andy, how much are they charging in the city? (and thanks for the karma. i just noticed it)
btw, i only do soft shell crabs 2 ways, both very simple so as not to cover up the taste of the crab.
they're either panko breaded and pan fried in canola oil, or just dusted in seasoned flour and fried in butter.
how does everyone else prepare theirs?
there's a fishmonger in the back of the paterson farmer's market that sells live sof shell crabs, but you have to be there by 7am on fridays or they're sold out. the guy said restaurants, especially japanese ones, clean him out within minutes of opening his doors. he reserves a few dozen for domestic customers though. and they go fast as well.
the last time i bought them, very small frozen ones, they were about $3 or $4 each.
andy, how much are they charging in the city? (and thanks for the karma. i just noticed it)
btw, i only do soft shell crabs 2 ways, both very simple so as not to cover up the taste of the crab.
they're either panko breaded and pan fried in canola oil, or just dusted in seasoned flour and fried in butter.
how does everyone else prepare theirs?
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I've never made them, but when I order them, that's the way they are done. I love them! They remind me of a crispy over-well fried egg!
Lee
There's a guy down here that has a radio talk show, website and also is a food critic (don't even get me started with the whole conflict of interest thing, considering he takes advertising money from places he reviews) that insists the only way to eat a soft shell crab is fried. Nonsense, I say. Fried is great, to be sure...but dredged in seasoned flour and the sauteed on butter, garlic, wine and lemon is pretty damn near a perfect way to get them.
BT, the oriental fishguy at Giant on River Road in Hackensack usually has soft shell crabs when they are in season.
We're going to a place on Magazine St. tonight, called Cassamento's. It's 8 years shy of being a hundred years old. Oysters on the half shell and soft shell crabs for me.
BT, the oriental fishguy at Giant on River Road in Hackensack usually has soft shell crabs when they are in season.
We're going to a place on Magazine St. tonight, called Cassamento's. It's 8 years shy of being a hundred years old. Oysters on the half shell and soft shell crabs for me.
I have to check Bucky. I have not made the stop yet. You know the place, right behind the PA terminal on 9th st.
That fishmonger on Paterson is incredible. I have not gotten soft shells there, I get lots of other fish. I get a whole Salmon and fillet it myself. Everything they sell is very good.
I probably will not get to the fish market till Monday. I work in Brooklyn tomorrow.
buckytom
Grill Master
thanks for the heads up, vb. i'!ll have to check giant out.
dw often goes to the fishmonger in the jersey farmers market on broadway in elmwood park. he'expensive, but if you go the day he gets a shipment, it's worth it. 2 or 3 days later, and it's a bit of a rip off.
we love soft shells, so i hope to get some tomorrow. will post results.
dw often goes to the fishmonger in the jersey farmers market on broadway in elmwood park. he'expensive, but if you go the day he gets a shipment, it's worth it. 2 or 3 days later, and it's a bit of a rip off.
we love soft shells, so i hope to get some tomorrow. will post results.
did some today actually, not for a production level thing, but just some that a client brought in and asked if I would do 'em up.
Flour dredge, clarified butter, Saute, finished with about a teaspoon of capers, squeeze of lemon and a pinch of crushed red pepper. She was pretty damn happy.
For me, I like em in a corn starch dredge, shallow fried in peanut oil, and either in sushi, or a sammich with field greens, ripe tomato, and sweet Thai chili Aioli, all on a crusty baguette.
Flour dredge, clarified butter, Saute, finished with about a teaspoon of capers, squeeze of lemon and a pinch of crushed red pepper. She was pretty damn happy.
For me, I like em in a corn starch dredge, shallow fried in peanut oil, and either in sushi, or a sammich with field greens, ripe tomato, and sweet Thai chili Aioli, all on a crusty baguette.
! But you should give them a try. They really are quite tasty.
Crabs are arachnids of the sea. Kinda closely related as far as arthropods go, if I am not mistaken.