When soft-shell crabs are in season, it’s the one time of year I like being crabby! I adore these guys perched on a delicious veggie salad with garlic mayo. The beauty of the soft-shell crab is you can eat the whole shootin’ match—on a salad, in a sandwich, however. Who says being crabby isn’t fun?
Recipe information
Yield
serves: 4
Ingredients
for the aïoli
for the crabs and salad
Preparation
FOR THE AÏOLI
Step 1
Combine the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt in the bowl of a food processor and purée until the mixture is homogeneous. Then, with the machine running, VERY slowly drizzle in the oil until it begins to thicken. When the mixture starts to look like mayonnaise, add the oil in a thin, slow stream. Check the aïoli for texture and flavor: If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it; or on the flip side if it’s too thin, add more oil. (This will make more than you need for this dish, so refrigerate the rest and use it on other good stuff, like the chickpea fries on page 78.)
FOR THE CRABS AND SALAD
Step 2
Preheat the grill.
Step 3
Clean the crabs by lifting up the outer shell on each side and pulling out the gills. Then pull the “apron” flap off the bottom of the crab. Using a sharp pair of scissors or kitchen shears, cut off the face and all the pointy parts of the shell. (I know this may seem mean; accept it and move on.) Pat the crabs with paper towels to remove all excess water.
Step 4
In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt. Rub the crabs with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Put the asparagus on the grill and cook, turning it occasionally, until charred and pliable, 7 to 8 minutes. Then put the crabs on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until firm. Remove the asparagus and crabs when done and set aside.
Step 5
In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, spring onions, vinegar, and big fat finishing oil; season with salt and taste to make sure it’s delicious.
Step 6
Divide the dressed salad and asparagus between serving plates, top each with a soft-shell crab, and garnish each crab with a dollop of the delightful aïoli.
note
Step 7
Soft-shell crabs usually have a lot of water in them. Be sure to pat them dry with paper towels to squeeze out any excess water before cooking.
