它是什么？

Sold in three different varieties—hard shell, peeler (pre-molt), and soft (post-molt) shell—blue crabs are found most prominently in the Chesapeake Bay but are also caught along the rest of the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a notoriously aggressive crustacean with a shell that is colored blue-green by specific pigments, which degrade when the crab is cooked, leaving only a red hue behind. Because blue crabs are smaller, they are often sold by the dozen or by the bushel. When selecting crabs, make sure they feel full and heavy, without any fishy odor.

软壳螃蟹：

Soft-shells are blue crabs that have shed their hard shells to grow larger ones. For a short time, the new shells are tender and thin enough that you can eat the entire crab, shell and all. We’re crazy about soft-shells—they cook in minutes, are easier to eat than hard-shell crabs, and their sweet, briny flavor and crunchy-soft, juicy texture can’t be beat.

Soft-shells are usually eaten whole, either sautéed, deep-fried, broiled, or grilled, and they make for a killer sandwich. You can also stuff them or use them in soups, curries, stir-fries, tacos, salads, and pastas. Soft-shells are available at fish counters as of mid-April, so pick some up while you can.

Blue crabs shed their shells between April and mid-September, as the waters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts warm. Fishermen catch the crabs before they shed and keep them in bins of sea water to keep track of their progress. As soon as they molt, they’re packed in wet straw, paper, or seaweed and shipped to restaurants and stores

How to choose:

Because blue crabs are smaller, they are often sold by the dozen or by the bushel. When selecting crabs, make sure they feel full and heavy, without any fishy odor.

For Soft-Shell Crabs:

Buy live soft-shell crabs so they’re at their peak of freshness. Look for active movement to confirm that the crabs are alive, and smell try this soft-shell crabs them—they should smell like the sea, and not at all fishy. If you can find only cleaned soft-shells wrapped in plastic, ask how long they’ve been in the case. Avoid cleaned crabs that are more than two days old.

Soft-shells come to market in five sizes, but hotels (4 to 4-1/2 inches across), primes (4-1/2 to 5 inches), and jumbos (5 to 5-1/2 inches) are the easiest to find.

How to prep:

For Soft-Shell Crabs:

学习如何清洁软壳螃蟹在测试厨房博客上。

最好用直接加热煮软壳，使它们的壳变得酥脆。因为它们是如此多汁，所以软壳会在烹饪过程中飞溅，因此请退缩或在锅上使用飞溅的屏幕。软壳与春季和夏季成分搭配得很好，例如芦笋，坡道，英国豌豆，法瓦豆，西红柿，罗勒和玉米。柑橘，黄油，姜，葱，香菜，鳄梨，培根和蘑菇也很美味，搭配柔软的蟹。

How to store:

For Soft-Shell Crabs:

Buy soft-shells the day you plan to cook them. If that’s not possible, have them cleaned (or clean them yourself) and store them in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to one day, or freeze them for up to three months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Simply Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs

  调味面粉的浅涂层使螃蟹的嫩贝壳有些额外的扣子。如果您愿意的话，可以使用Old Bay，Cayenne或任何其他调味料来增强风味。你…

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  Recipe

  Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs with Garlic and Black Pepper

  If soft-shell crabs can't be found, fish, large prawns (shrimp), squid, or crabs of the hard-shell variety can be used with this recipe.

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  Recipe

  Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches with Spicy Tartar Sauce

  Soft-shell crabs cook in minutes, are easier to eat than hard-shell crabs, and their sweet, briny flavor and crunchy-soft juicy texture can't be beat. Soft-shells are usually eaten whole, and they…