Crispy Soft-Shell Crabs w/ Yuzu Kosho
Crab is my favorite food group so I get very excited when little soft-shell crabs come in season. Though soft-shells are available as early as April and as late as October, the peak season is now through July. It’s now they crawl out of their muddy hibernation to shed their hard shell and grow a new one. And it’s now that they’re the best to eat. Outside of this “zone” you get soft-shells that are a bit more chewy than you want. Not recommended unless chewing on leather straps is your thing.
There’s so many things you could do with soft-shell crabs, they’re great in sandwiches, in sushi rolls, and they’re amazing simply pan-fried with garlic, parley and lemon. Last year, I posted a recipe for soft-shells with pea shoots and a orange-sesame emulsion but this time I wanted something with a little bit more of a kick, so my new favorite condiment came to the rescue.
Yuzu kosho is a spicy condiment made from ground yuzu peel with green chili peppers and salt and can be found in Japanese grocery stores. You NEED a jar of it in your refrigerator at all times. When you mix it with garlic, ginger, cilantro, and olive oil you obtain a bold tasting relish that’s amazing with crispy chicken, shrimp and of course… crab.
I served that crispy-spicy goodness with an Israeli couscous salad with marinated mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. That’s some good eats, my friends.
-
Crispy Soft-Shell Crabs w/ Yuzu Kosho Relish
- Serves 4
-
-
For the crispy soft-shell crabs:
- 8 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper
- canola oil for pan-frying
-
For the yuzu kosho relish:
- 1 tablespoon yuzu kosho
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 stalk lemongrass, tender part only, chopped
- 1/4 lemon, grated zest only
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-
For the Israeli couscous salad
- 2 cups Israeli couscous, cooked
- 1 cup marinated mushrooms
- 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- spinach
- lemon juice
- Extra-virgin olive oil
-
-
-
For the crispy soft-shell crabs:
- To clean soft-shell crabs you need to cut away three distinct parts, the lungs, the apron and the head section. Everything else is edible. You can ask your fishmonger to do this for you.
- Soak the soft-shell crabs in the milk for 30 mins. Meanwhile, place the flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and add an inch-of oil. You want the temperature of the oil to be between 350’F and 375’F.
- Working in batches, dip the soft-shell crab in flour and coat well. Pan-fry on both sides until golden and crispy. About 3 minutes per side.
-
For the yuzu kosho relish:
- Combine the yuzu kosho, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lemon zest, cilantro, scallion and olive oil and mix well. Set aside.
-
For the Israeli couscous salad:
- Combine the Israeli couscous with the marinated mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with the lemon juice and olive oil. Serve with the crispy soft-shell crabs and the yuzu kosho relish.
-