Not an authentic bruschetta (you’d never eat this dish in Italy), this appetizer is damn good all the same, with the garlicky aioli making a rich bed for the crispy grilled crabs. Look for soft-shell crabs in May through July, when blue crabs begin to molt and shed their hard shells. Once they do, it takes about four days for their new shells to solidify, and it’s during this window that they are perfect for eating whole. It’s best to buy soft-shell crabs live and kill and clean them yourself, but you may have them cleaned at the fishmonger and cook them as soon as possible once you get home.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the live crabs under cold water. Using sharp scissors, cut off the head and white gills about 1/4 inch behind the eyes. Next, bend back the thin piece that folds under the crab—called the apron—and twist until it breaks off, or cut off with scissors. The intestinal vein should come out at the same time. Rinse the crabs again and pat dry.
Step 2
Heat a grill or grill pan on high. Brush the crabs and bread slices on both sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle the crabs with salt and pepper. Grill the bread until browned and marked, about 1 minute per side. Grill the crabs until opaque and heated through, about 2 minutes per side.
Step 3
Dress the greens with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the shaved onion and toss.
Step 4
Sprinkle each toast with salt and top with a dollop of aioli. Divide the salad among the toasts and top each with a crab. Drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.
