Soft Shell Crab Po' Boy

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Thin metal spatula
• •Kitchen shears
• •Splatter screen

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the remoulade

   Combine the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, horseradish, pickle relish, capers, green onions, garlic, hot sauce, smoked paprika, and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and let it sit in the refrigerator while you prepare everything else. Remoulade improves as the flavors marry. Taste it. Adjust the heat if you want more kick. At Lagniappe, we make ours with enough horseradish to clear your sinuses, but you should season to your own taste.

   Make this a day ahead if you can. The flavors develop overnight into something special.
2. 2

   Clean the crabs

   If your fishmonger hasn't already cleaned your crabs, here's how you do it. Lift one pointed side of the top shell and remove the feathery gills underneath. Do the same on the other side. Flip the crab over and pull off the triangular apron on the belly. Finally, cut off the face just behind the eyes with kitchen shears. Rinse gently and pat completely dry with paper towels. Wet crabs won't crisp properly.

   Ask your fishmonger to clean the crabs for you. Most will do it gladly, and it saves you the trouble.
3. 3

   Build your dredge

   Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. This is where your flavor starts. The cornmeal adds crunch. The spices bloom in the hot butter. Run your finger through it and taste. You should feel the cayenne at the back of your throat but not be overwhelmed. Adjust now, not later.

4. 4

   Dredge the crabs

   Press each crab firmly into the seasoned flour mixture, coating both sides completely. Lift the top shell and dust underneath too. Get flour into every crevice, into the leg joints, everywhere. Shake off the excess gently and set the coated crabs on a wire rack. Let them rest for five minutes. This brief wait helps the coating adhere and prevents it from sliding off in the pan.

5. 5

   Heat your pan

   Set your largest skillet (cast iron if you have it, twelve inches at minimum) over medium-high heat. Add the butter and oil together. The oil raises the smoke point so your butter won't burn. When the butter foams and the foam begins to subside, you're ready. The fat should shimmer but not smoke. If it's smoking, pull the pan off the heat and let it cool for thirty seconds.

6. 6

   Fry the crabs

   Lay the crabs in the pan top-shell down, working in batches if needed. Don't crowd them. They need space to crisp, not steam. Let them cook undisturbed for three to four minutes until the edges turn golden and the coating sets. You'll hear active sizzling. That's good. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, supporting the whole body so legs don't snap off. Cook another two to three minutes until the second side is equally golden and the shell feels crisp when you press it gently.

   The crabs will pop and spatter. A splatter screen saves your forearms and your stovetop.
7. 7

   Rest and toast

   Transfer the fried crabs to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Season immediately with a light sprinkle of salt while they're hot. The residual heat will finish cooking them through. While they rest (just two minutes), toast your French bread cut-side down in the same pan. The bread will pick up all that seasoned butter and become golden and fragrant. This step is not optional.

8. 8

   Assemble the po' boys

   Spread remoulade generously on both cut sides of each piece of bread. Don't be shy. Layer shredded lettuce on the bottom half, followed by tomato slices and pickles if you're using them. Nestle a whole fried crab on top, legs splaying out the sides the way they should. Close the sandwich and press gently. The bread should give but not squash. Serve immediately while the crab is still warm and the bread still has its crunch.

   The proper way to eat this is with both hands, leaning forward so the juices drip onto your plate and not your shirt.

Chef Tips

• •Buy your soft shell crabs live if you can find them, or frozen from a reputable source. Fresh crabs should smell like the ocean, never fishy or ammonia-like. If something smells off, walk away.
• •Louisiana French bread has a specific character: shatteringly crisp crust, cottony soft interior. If you can't find it, look for a baguette with a thin, crispy crust. Soft sandwich bread is a tragedy on a po' boy.
• •The crabs will continue cooking from residual heat after you pull them from the pan. Better to err slightly on the underdone side than to overcook them into tough, chewy disappointment.
• •Dress the sandwich right before serving. Remoulade will soften the bread if it sits too long. At Lagniappe, we assemble to order for exactly this reason.
• •If cayenne isn't your thing, cut it in half. You can always add hot sauce at the table, but you can't take the heat back out.

Advance Preparation

• •Remoulade can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor improves after a day.
• •The seasoned dredge can be mixed and stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
• •Soft shell crabs must be fried fresh. There is no making this ahead. Plan accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 310g)