Soft-Shell Crabs with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Yield
4 servingsPrep
30 minCook
30 minReady
60 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | tablespoons |
olive oil
|
|
| 6 | each |
garlic cloves
thinly sliced |
|
| 6 | large |
shallots
thinly sliced |
*
|
| ½ | teaspoon |
cumin seeds
|
|
| ¼ | teaspoon |
celery seeds
|
|
| ¼ | teaspoon |
red pepper flakes
crushed |
|
| 1 | teaspoon |
salt
|
|
| 1 | teaspoon |
black pepper
freshly ground |
|
| ½ | teaspoon |
sugar
|
|
| 35 | ounces |
tomatoes
whole, packed in juice, drained and chopped |
|
| 1 | cup |
creme fraiche
|
*
|
| 1 | cup |
all-purpose flour
|
|
| 8 | each |
crab, soft shell
soft-shell, cleaned |
* |
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9E+1 | ml |
olive oil
|
|
| 6 | each |
garlic cloves
thinly sliced |
|
| 6 | large |
shallots
thinly sliced |
*
|
| 2.5 | ml |
cumin seeds
|
|
| 1.3 | ml |
celery seeds
|
|
| 1.3 | ml |
red pepper flakes
crushed |
|
| 5 | ml |
salt
|
|
| 5 | ml |
black pepper
freshly ground |
|
| 2.5 | ml |
sugar
|
|
| 1011.5 | ml/g |
tomatoes
whole, packed in juice, drained and chopped |
|
| 237 | ml |
creme fraiche
|
*
|
| 237 | ml |
all-purpose flour
|
|
| 8 | each |
crab, soft shell
soft-shell, cleaned |
* |
Directions
In a large nonreactive skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent and the garlic begins to brown, 5 to 6 minutes (don't let the garlic get too brown or it will be bitter).
Stir in the cumin and celery seeds, red pepper and ½ teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper.
Cook for 1 minute longer.
Stir in the sugar and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
Add the creme fraiche and simmer for 6 minutes longer.
Cover and keep warm. (The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before serving.)
Preheat the oven to 250F.
On a plate, toss the flour with the remaining ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
Pat the crabs dry with paper towels and dredge them in the seasoned flour.
In a large skillet, preferably nonstick, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderately high heat.
Add 4 of the crabs and cook, turning once, until red and crisp, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the crabs to a heatproof platter and place in the oven to keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 4 crabs.
To serve, spoon the tomato sauce onto 4 warmed plates and arrange 2 crabs on the sauce on each plate.
