Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Get ‘Em While They’re Soft
Email to a friendPrint this article
Along with peas, fava beans, and fiddlehead ferns, soft shell crabs are considered culinary harbingers of spring. Because they are such a delicacy, and their season is so short, these mid-Atlantic crustaceans are among the most highly anticipated arrivals of the season.
Hailing from Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, these tasty treats have tantalized the taste buds of seafood lovers across the globe. At the Metropolitan Club in Chestnut Hill, we are celebrating our second annual soft shell crab festival, which lasts through the height of the short but very sweet soft shell crab season, from mid-May to the middle of June.
Although there are a variety of crab species that you can eat with the shell, one of the most popular, largest, and meatiest is the blue crab. Fun blue crab facts: any one of these arthropods may shed (or molt) its hard outer shell up to 23 times during its three-year life span. When they shed, the animals increase by one-third in size, which is good news for crab aficionados! From a nutritional standpoint, they are low in fat and calories, and serve as an excellent source of protein and Omega-3.
To enjoy them at their peak, soft shell crabs should be eaten within four days of molting their hard shells. At the MET, our fishmonger delivers daily shipments of the live sea delicacies to our kitchen, carefully swaddled in straw or hay to ensure that they remain fresh from their journey from the shores of the Chesapeake. Soft shells come sized as ‘mediums,’ ‘hotels,’ ‘prime,’ ‘jumbo,’ and ‘whales.’ Whales are six ounces, and mediums are barely two ounces. During our soft shell crab festival we serve jumbos, which are 4.5 ounces. One jumbo is perfect for an appetizer; two make a fine entrée.
The adaptability of the flavor of these small sea creatures is amazing. The crab, which is known for its distinct natural flavor, allows our executive chef, Todd Winer, to be at his most creative. During our crab festival, he will offer 30 different versions of soft shell crab over 30 days (one per day), including a few modern twists on old New England favorites. Our soft shell crab roll, for example, with deep fried soft shell crab, cut up and mixed with sweet mayonnaise, then served in a toasted hot dog roll with cole slaw on the side, is a take on the traditional New England lobster roll. We will also offer crab stuffed with cornbread and pan fried with cranberry relish – a sort of “Plymouth crab.”
Winer has also been experimenting with a variety of flavor profiles and textures to emphasize the natural essence of these crustaceans. One night, in a variation on spider maki, he plans to deep fry the crab in sesame tempura batter, chop it and roll it with cucumber and tahini, and black and white sesame seeds, and wrap it in sesame skin wrappers. Another night he’ll feature “happy crab crepes,” a play on a dish he had in San Francisco. Chef Winer will deep-fry the crabs then pour crepe batter, mixed with tarragon, chives and scallions, over them. We’ll serve the crepes with a barbecue sauce. And the list goes on.
Soft shell crabs are a sure sign of spring. Don’t miss out on this sweet season that is all too fleeting.
Kathy Sidell Trustman is the owner of The Metropolitan Club.
Comments