1/4teaspoonpeppertry Caraluzzi's Sea Salt and Five Pepper Blend
1/2cuplow-fat milk
canola oil as needed
4bunstry Brioche buns
1 tomatosliced
4larges leaves of lettuce
1/2lemon
Mayonnaise as needed
Yellow mustard as needed
Instructions
Gently dry the soft shells with a paper towel and set aside until needed.
Add the flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a brown bag and shake until combined. Pour on a large dinner plate.
Pour the milk in a wide and shallow container, like a square container of tupperware. Add a dash or two of Old Bay in the milk for flavor.
Coat the crab in the flour mixture, then the milk, then the flour mixture once more. Shake off any excess flour, then transfer to a plate. Repeat until all crabs are finished. Set in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
When ready to cook, add enough canola oil to cover the bottom of a skillet. Heat to medium-high heat. Once hot, pan-fry the crabs (2 at a time) for 2-3 minutes on each side. The crabs will be brown and crispy, and only take a few minutes to fry. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Repeat for remaining crabs.
To ensemble the sandwich, spread buns with mayonnaise, mustard or tartar sauce. Sprinkle the dressed buns with Old Bay, then top with lettuce, tomato, and a crab. Squeeze a lemon over the crab then add the top bun.
Notes
The most important thing with soft shell crabs is that they’re cleaned. The face, gills, and apron all must be removed before consuming.