My first memory of eating soft shell crabs is of my stepmother, Peggy T, sautéing them in garlic (and probably butter) on top of the stove. I’ve been a pretty adventurous eater all of my life so it never occurred to me that eating all of the crab was an odd thing.

Soft shell crabs have recently molted leaving behind their hard outer shell. They’re removed from the water before the new shell can form which means you can eat almost the whole crab. Typically the mouthparts, gills and abdomen have been removed prior to purchase. In the United States, the main species of soft shell crabs is the Blue Crab (also known as the Atlantic Blue Crab or Chesapeake Blue Crab) and are in season from April to September. These crabs hail from the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. This goes to explain why I never had them growing up in California.

Ed and I get excited at this time of year when they start popping up on menus and do our best to order them as often as we can. I often get lucky as chefs are willing to make a gluten-free version for me. A few years ago Ed started making them at home using a gluten-free flour (Cup4Cup) and cornmeal (Bob’s Red Mill) combination. While corn is naturally gluten-free, cornmeal can easily be cross-contaminated depending on where it is produced. Bob’s Red Mill has a variety that is certified gluten-free. Of course you can make these crabs using all-purpose flour, too. Ed also adds some Old Bay Seasoning to flavor the flour-cornmeal mixture.

We paired our first homemade soft shells of the season with our new favorite remoulade made with some horseradish and Sriracha save which gives it a little kick. It’s very easy to make as all of the ingredients go into the food processor at once. This also goes well with more traditional crab cakes (Maryland Crab Cakes (Gluten-Free) – another favorite in our kitchen.

So far I’ve only had soft shell crabs out once this year – as an appetizer at Birchrunville Store Cafe in the tiny town of Birchrunville, PA. It’s one of our favorite restaurants and these did not disappoint!

Soft Shell Crabs with Spicy Remoulade (Gluten-Free)

 

Soft Shell Crabs with Spicy Remoulade (Gluten-Free)
Print
Recipe type: Main Dish
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For Remoulade:
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
For Crabs:
  • 4 soft shell crabs, cleaned
  • 1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅓ cup cornmeal (see Notes)
  • ¼ cup gluten-free or all-purpose (see Notes)
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil or mild olive oil
Instructions
Prepare Remoulade:
  1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and combine until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.
  2. Can be made 24 hours in advance.
Prepare Crabs:
  1. One hour before cooking, place soft shell crabs in a bowl and pour buttermilk or milk over them. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. In shallow bowl, stir egg with a fork.
  3. In a another shall bowl, stir flour, cornmeal and Old Bay.
  4. Heat large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Once hot, remove each crab from the milk mixture, dip into egg and then into flour-cornmeal mixture. Place in frying pan. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches. Add extra oil as needed.
  5. Serve immediately with remoulade on the side.
Notes
* If you want to make this truly gluten-free use gluten-free flour (such as Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour) in place of the all-purpose flour and gluten-free cornmeal (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Medium Cornmeal).
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe