Soft-Shell Crabs With Fennel-Green Apple Slaw

By timbrehse

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 fennel bulb, julienned
• 1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade
• 1 pink grapefruit, sectioned
• 6 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (whole seeds, toasted and freshly ground)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper.

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a baking dish large enough to hold the crabs in a single layer, place the milk and crabs. Let them soak for 1 hour (refrigerate if the kitchen is warm).

2. While crab is soaking, prepare the dressing for the slaw. In a medium bowl, add the grapefruit juice (after you section the grapefruit, squeeze the remaining membrane, which should give you the 6 tablespoons), lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fleur de sel, cumin, dried red pepper flakes and black pepper. Whisk and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, place the fennel and apple. Add the dressing and lightly toss to coat and set aside.

6. Heat the oil and butter together in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the crabs until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

7. Place the pan-fried crab on a cooling rack, placed over a piece of foil or a cookie sheet.

8. Add grapefruit sections and mint to the slaw and toss lightly.

9. To serve, place some slaw (but not the dressing) on a plate and nestle a crab alongside. Serve immediately.