Did you notice our website changes?
If you said "YES", you would be correct!! The new website has been uploaded, but some of the pages aren't quite finished yet. We are working dilligently to finish those pages as quickly as possible. If you happen to stop by the website and notice that it isn't working properly - drop us an email and let us know. Come on by and check it out and let us know what you think!
Braden Seafood - Soft Shell Crab
We made a trip out to Braden Seafood to see Terrea Schramm and her Soft Shell Crab processing area today. We learned quite a bit about the process and got a few pictures to boot. You can see the pictures
here. The crabs must be dilligently watched 24 hours per day during the 7 week season. The crabs molt in April and then there is a second season in October - although not as many molt then. A crab only molts one time during its life. How does it work you wonder?? First, the crabbers put a male crab in the crab pot to attract the females. Terrea choses only the crabs that are ready to molt within the next 7 days and then transferrs these to her indoor processing facility. She has two separate tank areas - which ever tank the crab is started in, the crab remains in due to water temperature and salinity. When the crab begins to "pop" out of its shell, it is placed in a secured area with other crabs that are also coming out of their shells. This is done to ensure that the crab is not hurt by the other crabs. Once the crab has come out of its shell completely it is moved into a "fluff" tank which is still a part of the same tank - just a different area - and a place just for crabs without any shells. At this point the crabs are ready to be transferred to market for consumption.
Sexy Fish: Soft Shell Crab
Our sexy fish this week is the Soft Shell Crab. In the United States, Soft Shell Crab are actually Blue Crabs that have just molted their exoskeletons (shells) and are still soft. They must be removed from the water within a few hours or another larger shell will begin to form. The crabs fatten up to make it through the process of molting, rendering soft shell crabs intensely flavorful.
Because the crabs need direct heat to give them their characteristic outer crispness, they should not be boiled or steamed like hard-shell crabs (they'd end up a soggy mess). Soft-shell crabs take only minutes to cook, so they're traditionally pan fried or sautéed, but they do lend themselves nicely to the broiler or grill, as well. From there they can be taken in any direction, from sushi to a salad, but they are most commonly served sandwiched between two slices of bread.
To clean a soft shell crab, cut away the eyes and mouth with a sharp knife or scissors. Fold back one side of the top shell to expose the pale orange gills. Pull away and discard the gills from both sides of the crab. Turn the crab over and fold back the tail flap. Pull it away from the body and discard. The crab is now cleaned.
You can purchase soft shell crab this week for $6 each or $60 per dozen.
Sauteed Soft Shelled Crab
Serves 4
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
-
4 small soft-shell crabs, cleaned
-
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
-
Rèmoulade Sauce for serving
Directions
-
Place the milk in a shallow bowl large enough to hold the crabs in a single layer. Add the crabs and let them soak for 1 hour. Drain and discard the milk.
-
Season the flour with salt and pepper in a paper or plastic bag. Lightly dredge each crab in the flour.
-
Heat the oil and butter together in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sautè the crabs in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Add more oil and butter to the pan if necessary.
-
To serve, place a crab in the center of 4 salad plates and garnish each with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a small dollop of Rèmoulade Sauce.
