Equipment
Ingredients
Red Pepper Mayonnaise
- 2 roasted red peppers, skinned and seeded
- 29 g reduced-fat mayonnaise
- ½ g cayenne pepper
- 1 g salt
Crab Sandwiches
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 soft-shell crab, cleaned
- 7 g unsalted butter
- 8 country bread, toasted
- 30 g iceberg lettuce, shredded
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 322 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1818 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 6 mg
- Potassium
- 696 mg
- Calcium
- 178 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 25 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 98 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 66 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.09 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 39 mcg
- Water
- 59 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Puree the skinned and seeded roasted red peppers in a blender until the texture is completely smooth.
Transfer the pepper puree to a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the volume has reduced by half.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the pepper reduction to cool completely to room temperature.
Stir the mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, and 1g of salt into the cooled pepper reduction until well combined.
Place the red pepper mayonnaise in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour before using.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, 6g of salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Dredge each cleaned soft-shell crab in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure an even coating on all sides.
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until it begins to foam.
Place the crabs in the skillet and sauté for 4 minutes per side until the shells are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Spread approximately 30ml (2 tablespoons) of the chilled red pepper mayonnaise onto four slices of toasted country bread.
Place one sautéed crab onto each prepared bread slice and top with a portion of shredded iceberg lettuce.
Cover each sandwich with a second slice of toasted bread and serve immediately while the crabs are hot.
Chef's Notes
- For the red pepper mayonnaise, ensure the roasted red pepper reduction is completely cool before mixing with the mayonnaise. This prevents the mayonnaise from breaking or becoming oily.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet when cooking the soft-shell crabs. Cook them in batches if necessary to ensure they sear properly and develop a crisp, golden-brown exterior.
- Pat the cleaned soft-shell crabs thoroughly dry with paper towels before dredging them in flour. Excess moisture will prevent the coating from adhering well.
- When toasting the country bread, aim for a light golden-brown color with a slightly crisp texture. This provides a sturdy base that won't get soggy from the crab and mayonnaise.
Storage
Refrigerator: 48 hours — Store red pepper mayonnaise separately; assembled sandwiches do not keep.
Reheating: Reheat bread in a toaster; crabs are best consumed immediately after frying.
Troubleshooting
Crabs are soggy rather than crispy
Cause: The skillet was crowded or the heat was too low, causing the crabs to steam.
Fix: Increase heat slightly for the second side, but be careful not to burn the butter.
Prevention: Use a large skillet and ensure the butter is hot before adding crabs. Cook in batches if necessary.
Mayonnaise is too thin
Cause: The pepper puree was not reduced sufficiently.
Fix: Cannot be fixed easily once mixed; use as a dipping sauce instead.
Prevention: Ensure the puree reduces by a full 50% until it is thick and concentrated.
Cultural Context
Soft-shell crab sandwiches are a beloved seasonal delicacy, particularly popular in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, especially Maryland. They celebrate the brief period in spring and summer when blue crabs molt their hard outer shells, making them entirely edible and offering a unique, tender texture.
