Pan-Fried Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs

These Pan-fried soft shell crabs are stuffed with a delicious Louisiana jumbo lump crabmeat mixture.

 

Ingredients:

Crabs

• 8 Louisiana soft-shell crabs
• crab stuffing, (recipe follows)
• 2 cups flour or corn flour
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• granulated garlic, to taste
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or more if needed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup skim milk
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  

Potato Salad

• 1 pound Louisiana lump crabmeat
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Creole mustard
• salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• granulated garlic, to taste
• Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

Crabs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Clean crabs.
3. Place cleaned crabs in a Pyrex baking dish.
4. Form stuffing mixture into boulettes about the size of golf balls.
5. Gently lift the top shell of each crab and stuff with boulette of stuffing. Close crab and press gently to seal stuffing in.
   Depending on size of crabs, additional stuffing may remain. Form any remaining stuffing into golf-ball size boulettes and set aside.
6. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and paprika, then set aside.
7. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 350°F, then add butter.
8. Drizzle crabs with milk and season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.
9. Dredge crabs in seasoned flour, shaking off excess.
10. Place crabs shell-side down in oil; do not overcrowd.
11. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove crabs to baking dish. Continue until all crabs are fried. Place any remaining stuffing boulettes in baking dish with crabs and bake in oven 20 minutes.
12. While crabs are baking, add lemon juice and parsley to pan drippings in skillet and cook 1 minute.
13. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
14. When crabs are done, remove them from oven and serve hot with pan drippings or homemade Hollandaise sauce.

Stuffing

1. Pick through crabmeat to remove any shell or cartilage.
2. In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted. Remove and cool slightly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine sautéed vegetables and all remaining ingredients except crabmeat, breadcrumbs, and mayonnaise.
4. Use hands to gently fold in these last 3 ingredients, continually checking for shell or cartilage. Adjust seasonings if necessary.