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Fried Soft-Shell Crabs Devilled
Fresh soft-shell crabs coated with finished devilled butter and a light dusting of flour, then basket-fried and served with fried parsley and lemon quarters.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Have one complete freshly finished batch of the linked Devilled Butter prepared with commercially pasteurized egg yolk. Keep it covered and refrigerated as that recipe directs until coating the crabs. Obtain twelve fresh live food-grade soft-shell crabs from a regulated supplier and have the fishmonger clean them immediately before cooking, removing the spongy gills beneath the side points and the aprons. Keep them refrigerated until needed, wash away any sand with cold water and drain thoroughly on a clean food-safe cloth.
Step 2
Season the twelve crabs with the teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of pepper. Using clean utensils, spread all the finished devilled butter evenly and thinly over both sides of the crabs. Roll lightly in flour and shake off excess. Discard coating residues that have touched raw crab.
Step 3
Heat refined canola oil to about 175 Celsius in suitable deep-frying equipment, checking its temperature and observing its safe fill limits. Keep below smoking; do not try to make the oil boil. Place the crabs in a frying basket in uncrowded batches and fry for about six minutes as a guide, continuing until the thick body meat reaches at least 145 F (63 C), is firm, pearly and opaque, and the flour coating is fully cooked. Lift and drain thoroughly on clean food-safe paper or cloth.
Step 4
For the little fried parsley, wash the leaves and dry them completely. In a separate suitable small deep pan heat a little of the frying oil to about 150 Celsius. Carefully lower a few dry leaves at a time with a slotted spoon and fry briefly until crisp, keeping them green. Lift and drain. Arrange the hot crabs on a hot serving dish with a clean folded napkin, decorate with the fried parsley and six lemon quarters, and serve promptly.
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