Chez Marcelle's Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs

By Marian Burros

Published May 10, 1983

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(8)
Comments
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Featured in: CAJUN COOKING: A TASTE OF THE BAYOU

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 pound lump crab meat

  • 1 pound shrimp, ground

  • ½ cup dry white wine

  • 3 ounces diced pimentos

  • ½ pound chopped mushrooms

  • ½ teaspoon cayenne

  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper

  • Salt to taste

  • 2 ¼ cups stale bread crumbs

  • 10 jumbo soft-shell crabs, gills removed

  • 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten

  • Flour for dredging seasoned with salt, red and white pepper

  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk

  • 2 beaten eggs

  • Cracker meal

  • 1 quart peanut oil

  • Lemon wedges and fried parsley for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

44 grams carbs; 351 milligrams cholesterol; 1740 calories; 69 grams monosaturated fat; 49 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 153 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1303 milligrams sodium; 48 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook green onions, garlic, crab and shrimp in white wine about three minutes. Add pimentos, mushrooms, cayenne, white pepper and salt and bread crumbs and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in yolks.

  2. Step 2

    Chill stuffing for about 1 hour, until firm. Carefully stuff each side cavity of crabs with mixture.

  3. Step 3

    Season crabs with salt, white pepper and cayenne. Dredge in flour; dip in a mixture of buttermilk and eggs, then in cracker meal, breading each leg individually.

  4. Step 4

    Heat oil in deep pot to 375 degrees. Deep fry a few crabs at a time until golden brown on both sides.

  5. Step 5

    Serve crabs with Creolaise sauce. Garnish with lemon and fried parsley.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
8 user ratings
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Comments

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Gordeaux

Soft shell crabs are much better towel-dried raw and sauteed in butter than breaded and fried. Their delicious crab flavor is overwhelmed by frying. Towel dry crabs, stuff them raw and don't use eggs, flour, buttermilk, cracker meal or peanut oil. Saute them in 5 tablespoons butter in non-stick pan with the crab's downside down (4 minutes on medium heat). Don't flip them but broil the tops until slightly browned (about 4 minutes). Serve on rice with Creolaise sauce on top.

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