Soft-shell crabs are bursting with flavor, so unless you are a voluptuary you might want to stay away. But I assume that if you are reading Nosheteria, you must be a true gastronomic libertine, so read on dear reader. Fresh soft-shell crabs are available right now in fish markets, so I recommend picking up a few of these crinkly shelled beauties and bringing them right home, right away.

A soft-shell crab is simply an ordinary blue crab, caught mid-molt, and then enjoyed naked (the crab mind you, not the eater). Once captured, the crab will not form a new shell as long as it is kept out of its natural, salty sea environment. I admit, it can be a bit strange to eat soft-shells, consuming the entire crab almost doesn’t seem right, but one taste of the crisp exterior has me saying, “Bring on the crabs, shell and all!”

For preparing the crabs an old rule truly does apply: the simpler the better. If purchased fresh, from a reputable purveyor, the crabs will be delicately meaty, and literally dripping with the flavor of the sea. Although they can be grilled, I prepared these crabs in a simple dredging mixture, and then fried. I find that dredging and frying, maintains much of the natural juices. Flour, egg, and then a mixture of corn flour and panko bread crumbs, makes up the three-part dredging mixture. Fried for about eight minutes, in a bit of butter, in conjunction with some olive oil, in a scorching hot skillet, makes for a perfect combination of decadence and down-home goodness. Served with a salad to mediate the richness of the crab, makes a truly delectable, mid-summer meal.