Although the cuisine of both Buenos Aires and Montevideo, Uruguay, is delicious, it’s much more varied than most people may believe.  But, boy, one thing is true – they love, love, love, love, love their beef.  We ate beef eight days out of the ten we were there and learned so much about all the various cuts of beef served.  Needless to say, we’ll be eating salads for the next few weeks.  Activia is now our friend for the next two weeks, or at least until our digestive track is back on track.

We’re just off the plane, so before we get settled back into post-vacation life again, we need to make a note of some things we learned about on our trip. Everyone knows that Argentina is famous for its amazing beef, but you might not know that they usually cook it about medium-well to well-done. Some restaurants will ask you how you want it cooked but, for the most part, it comes they way they cook it. Even well done, the meat is still remarkably flavorful and moist. 

Another important thing to remember if planning a trip to BA is that dogs are everywhere… everywhere! They do not require that they are leashed-up and, often, you’ll wonder how runaway dog looks so well fed. Then you notice his owner 2 blocks away. Along with the freedom dogs feel in the city comes the freedom for them to poo wherever and whenever they want. Dog shit is everywhere… everywhere! No lie.

We started playing “poop watch” so that one of us could walk down the street for a few minutes without constantly staring at the ground.  If you go, be prepared to be on poop watch too.

Finally, Porteños are extremely polite, pleasant, kind, funny, cool, social and pretty much all-around awesome. They almost never let us speak English (which we loved because it stretches us) and were never condescending when we messed up a phrase or two in our pidgin Spanish. Their accent is difficult understand at first if you are used to the way Spanish is spoken here in the States or in Spain. They often lose (or aspirate, as it’s known) the “s” (i.e.: “despues” becomes “deh-puess”) and the double “L” is pronounced with a slightly slurring “J” (i.e.: parilla sounds like pa-ri-ja and molleja, Spanish for sweetbreads, sounds like mo-jea-ha).  When speaking fast it can be hard to keep up!

We have so much to write about our trip to Uruguay. We spent three nights in the capital and largest city in the country, Montevideo, which really is an amazing, and incredibly underrated, place. We also rented a car and headed into Uruguayan wine country only about 20 miles outside of the city. It’s a little known fact that Uruguay is the only place that produces the Tannat grape variety besides Southwest France. I think we’ll become ambassadors of tourism to Uruguay because we were blown away by the beauty of the country and the kindness of the people. Much, much more to come on that.

So, thanks for sticking with us during our hiatus. We’re feel much better now – well-rested, way too well-fed(!), and totally revved up for some spring cooking. Today, we’ll leave you with a delicious (and timely) spring recipe for soft shell crabs – they are just beginning to be in season now, so get your bums down to your fish monger and demands them! If this recipe isn’t for you, check out a few of the others we have created in the past include Soft Shells in Butter and Garlic and Soft Shell Sandwich with Red Pepper Aioli.

CORNMEAL CRUSTED SOFT SHELL CRAB PO’BOYS (serves 2 to4)

• 1 fresh french baguette – 12 inches long
• 3 to 4 soft shell crabs (depending on size)
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Garnish and Toppings: sliced tomatoes, sliced pickle, lettuce, creole mustard (see step #4 below for recipe) and mayonnaise
• enough corn or veggie oil to deep fry
• lemon

What to do:

1. Pat your crabs dry with a towel.  In one bowl, mix the flour with the salt, pepper, cayenne, onion and garlic powder.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add a tablespoon of milk or water to thin out.  In one other bowl, add the cornmeal.
2. In a pot, add enough vegetable or corn oil to deep fry and heat up to temperature.
3. Meanwhile, dip each soft shell first in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the cornmeal.  Set aside until ready to fry.
4. Make the creole mustard if you don’t have any handy. Not sure if theis is authentic, but I mixed dijon mustard with a few dashes of worcestershire and some hot sauce to taste.
5. When oil is hot enough, fry each breaded soft shell until golden brown – turn over if necessary to ensure even frying.  Should take about 2 to 3 minutes.  Allow to drain on some papertowels and sprinkle with a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon.
6. Slice your baguette and on one side, spread the creole mustard and on the other side, spread the mayo. Add the soft shells and top with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and pickles.
7. Enjoy with a cold beer.

This meal took about 15 minutes, but that’s only because we had about 15 peppers which had been grilled the weekend before for a bachelorette party (aka “hen do” in other parts) my sister threw for a friend of hers down at the shore. We tried to stay out of their way, but with no male stripper for me to corrupt, I felt no need to be in the ‘thick of things’. What I did love was the variety of penis paraphernalia. Nothing screams “bachelorette party” like penis-shaped straws, penis whistles, a penis-shaped chip tray, penis-shaped pez-on-a-necklace (ohhh the fun… and the taste!) and phallic-shaped skewers of grilled chicken and peppers for the girl’s to dine on before their boozy night out. Fortunately for us, the friend who brought the ingredients for the skewers must’ve thought the party was bigger, because she brought about 4 huge ziplock bags filled with marinating red, green, yellow and orange peppers. They barely used any, so we skewered the rest of them, grilled them up and took them back to Brooklyn with us. So, there we sit a day later with a few leftover garlic-butter soft-shells, a few bags of grilled peppers (thanks, Jackie!) and a bunch of penis-straws. What to do? First, taunt husband with penis straw. Check. Next, put penis straw under husband’s pillow. Check. Finally, get rid of all those pounds of grilled peppers by making some pepper aioli, reheat those crabs and grill some delicious fresh rolls. Check!

***Thanks to bachelorette.com for the use of these friggin awesome pictures of their “Pecker Party Plates” and “Pecker Party Straws”. Perhaps you’d like to visit them to order a “Mid-sized Penis Cake Pan” for your next Daring Bakers competition? ***

If you don’t have the soft-shells, you can so get creative with this meal. Grill some salmon, fry some white fish dipped in batter or herbed flour, grill chicken or pork, maybe even throw some ground lamb burgers on the bun instead. This pepper aioli was so unbelievably delicious and versatile, we found ways to use it the rest of the week. So bring out your inner bachelorette (even you guys….work it), blow on your penis-shaped whistles and chomp into a penis-shaped soft-shell sandwich (or your topping of choice) with pepper aioli.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB SANDWICHES ON BUTTERED GRILLED ROLL WITH PEPPER AIOLI AND CAPERS

Ingredients:

• 2 large soft-shell crabs (or other topping of your choice – battered and fried white fish, grilled or sauteed salmon, lamb burger, fried calamari, etc… use your imagination!)
• some shredded savoy or napa cabbage
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• For the aioli (feel free to use our roasted garlic aioli instead):
  • blender or food processor

  

  • 1 cup of either roasted or grilled red, orange and/or yellow peppers (make sure they have been cooled and try to remove some of the skin if possible if it’s been charred)
  • 1 egg yolk (fresh eggs and organic, if possible, are best here)
  • 1 clove garlic (for a less strong flavor, roast the garlic first)
  • 1 teaspoon (or a few shakes) of hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon of curry powder
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon of chipotle powder
  • extra virgin olive oil (have at least one cup handy)
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon (or more to taste)
  • salt to taste

What to do:

1. Place all of your ingredients except the olive oil, lemon and salt into your blender or food processor and blitz or pulse till smooth. You may have to scrape the sides a few times in order to get everything pureed.
2. With the lid on, slowly stream in your olive oil as you keep the blender/food processor on constant puree and allow the aioli to emulsify (meaning mix together to form a thicker puree). You may not need to use the whole cup of olive oil. When you notice it getting emulsified, stop and taste for consistency and flavor. Keep adding more oil if you like it very thick.
3. Squeeze in some lemon and a pinch of salt, whizz it up again and taste to make sure seasoning is to your liking.
4. Meanwhile, heat up your frying pan with a bit of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter and allow to melt. Cut your rolls in half and place both halves face down and allow to crisp up a bit. After they have toasted a bit, remove from pan and place on the side.
5. With the remaining oil and butter in your pan, reheat your soft-shells by sauteing them again. After 2 or 3 minutes, flip them to cook on the other side.
6. Assemble your sandwiches by placing the softshell on the bottom of the bun followed by the cabbage and a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Top with the aioli and capers and enjoy!

Check out some other posts you may enjoy:

• AUTHENTIC CARNE ASADA TACOS
• FUSILLI WITH SALSA DI NOCI AND MUSHROOMS (WALNUT PESTO)
• PERFECT BROCCOLI DI RAPE/RAPINI
• Knowing Your Tagliatelle from Your Tagliolini
• Does Hollywood HATE Food?

Nothing says summer to this Philly girl more than ‘going down the shore’ (translation: heading to southern New Jersey to go to the beach), grilling, horseshoes, and soft shell crabs. The first time I was asked to taste a soft shell crab I had to ask my dad what the f it meant. “You mean to tell me that seemingly normal-looking crab doesn’t need to be cracked and the meat picked out? You’re telling me I just eat the freaking shell? I take a bite out of it?” It was just difficult to wrap my head around this idea. I moved in cautiously… very cautiously. I could begin to hear imaginary bits of my teeth chipping off as I bit into it. But then it happened – I bit and my love affair with this seasonal delicacy officially began.

So, if you’ve never really had a fresh soft-shell or even saw one in person before (and if you are still reading), you may be curious as to what the hell is going on here. Well, a soft-shell crab is a crab that has been caught right after they have molted, or shed, their hard shell in order to grow a new, bigger one, and this only happens during a very short time each year. For a really intelligent explanation of this, please listen to our brilliant podcast associated with this post (note: we were a bit drunk on wine when we recorded this one).

Even though I feel that soft-shell crabs are all for me, only available in my neck of the woods (the Mid-Atlantic US), I am happy to report to all of you that they are also available in many parts of Asia. There is one big difference – the crab. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, our soft-shells are from the sweet, meaty and popular blue claw crab. In Asia, soft-shells mean using the mangrove crab.  Maybe you’ve been offered various types of fried soft-shells at your local Thai or Japanese restaurant?

When you buy a fresh soft-shell crab, you will notice that it has either been cleaned or not. If you’re squeamish, stop reading now. Basically the fishmongers remove their gills and (gasp!) cut off their faces. Ok, they cut off their face first in order to kill them – poor soft-shells. If you can’t get your fishmonger to do this for you, follow these instructions and do it yourself.  Do you have the heart? According to this article, people don’t often make soft-shells at home because they think it takes a long time to prepare. I’m here to assure you, they don’t. Grab your sharp knife or you kitchen shears and git down to cuttin’ off some faces!  Go on, girl (or boy)!

As I mentioned earlier, soft-shell crabs are very seasonal as their molting time only happens between May and July (at the latest). So, hurry and get yourself some fresh soft-shell crabs soon and please give this dish, one I consider one of the best and most simple preparations, a try.  Serve it with a side of long pasta – our choice is olio e aglio, or pasta with olive oil and garlic. Just make sure to slowly infuse your garlic on medium-low heat in the olive oil for about 20 minutes or more for the most strong garlic flavor!  You could also give our Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with Pepper Aioli and Capers a try!  We used our leftovers from this dish to make it.  Now, get out and ask for soft-shells!

SOFT-SHELL BLUE CRABS IN BUTTER AND GARLIC (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 4 soft-shell blue crabs, cleaned
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 -8 cloves (depending on your love of garlic) of garlic, thinly sliced
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup of flour
• some pepperoncino

What to do:

1. Dredge your crabs in a bit of flour and pat excess off and allow to rest until needed.
2. Put butter and olive oil in a pan and heat on medium to medium-low.
3. When butter melts, add your thinly sliced garlic and saute lightly until the garlic gets a bit golden in color. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve on the side.
4. Add your soft-shells to the pan with the butter/oil mixture and saute on medium until the crabs are red all over. Make sure to flip them on to both sides to allow to evenly cook – about 4 or 5 minutes each side.
5. Remove crabs from oil and place on plate. Add the garlic back to the pan, add a pinch of salt and then drizzle the crabs with the garlic/butter and oil. Sprinkle with some peperoncino.
6. Serve with some pasta olio e aglio (spaghetti with garlic and olive oil) or pasta with red sauce. Enjoy!

****Stay tuned for another recipe using the soft-shell leftovers!

• FRITO MISTO DI MARE (FRIED MIXED SEAFOOD AND VEGGIES)
• POLLO EN PEPITORIA “KINDA” (HAZELNUT CRUSTED CHICKEN IN A FINO SHERRY, SAFFRON AND HAZELNUT SAUCE)
• CUBAN SANDWICH
• MORCILLA (SPANISH SAUSAGE) STUFFED GRILLED SQUID WITH A SPICY SAUCE