Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs With Hazelnuts
serves 4
Many people think Patrick O'Connell is the best chef in the country. His version of soft-shell crabs bursts with flavor; the beans are a nice complement.
Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 to 10 tablespoons clarified butter
1 cup flour
4 soft-shell crabs, cleaned and dressed
1/3 cup skinned hazelnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups green beans
Juice of 1 lime, for garnish
1 tablespoon snipped chives, for garnish
prep: 20 minutes
total: 35 minutes
2 small mixing bowls
whisk
small pan
shallow bowl
large oven-safe skillet
medium pot
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, 3 teaspoons of the Dijon-style mustard and the dry mustard, mixing until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and set the sauce aside.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the vinegar, the remaining 1 teaspoon of Dijon-style mustard, the lemon juice and the oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set the vinaigrette aside.
4. In a small pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the clarified butter and cook, swirling the butter in the pan until it is an even light brown. Set aside.
5. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Dip both sides of the crabs in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
6. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 6 to 8 tablespoons of clarified butter and cook the crabs, top side down, for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over the crabs, carefully drain the liquid from the pan and add the brown butter, hazelnuts, tomato and cilantro. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 2 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the beans and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Drain and return to the pot. Toss the beans with the vinaigrette and divide among 4 plates. Place a crab on top of the beans and sprinkle with the lime juice. Drizzle the sauce over all and top with chives. Serve immediately.
