I’ve Still Got (Soft-Shell) Crabs! Leftover Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches with Pepper Aioli and Capers

Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich with Red Pepper Aioli and CapersSo now you’ve searched high and low for soft-shell crabs, maybe to make Soft-Shell Crabs with Butter and Garlic and a side of Aglio e Olio? I can just see it – you finally find them and, in a panic, you decide to spend part of your life savings so you can put a bunch away in the freezer. You wouldn’t want to be without them at a later date! So you’re left with a bunch of soft-shells and not a clue what to do with them. Well, why not do what we did and make a delicious soft-shell crab sandwich?

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!

penis_plate penis_straw
***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
    • Red Pepper Aioli

    • 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!
  7. soft_shell

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29 thoughts on “I’ve Still Got (Soft-Shell) Crabs! Leftover Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches with Pepper Aioli and Capers

  1. Well my budget is tapped out for next few months. However I do have squid in the freezer and may adapt this . Interesting penis straws. I remeber the first hen party I went to and that awful penis shaped cake in which the bride to be had her young daughter blow out the candles and cut up for everyone. I get the creeps thinking back to that night. Thats why I stay away from them.But good score on the peppers.

  2. omg! i want this now! make this for me next time we’re out – k? tim will bring his own crabs…they don’t have shells though. shnar!

  3. This is the most testosterone filled post I have seen yet. I feel like I should watch some Rambo right now and congratulate myself for being awesome. Speaking of awesome, I know that crab looks pissed, but I bet he tasted great. Oh and watch out for those straws, someone’s gonna lose an eye.

  4. i’ve never laughed so hard at comments before. maybe the word ‘penis straw’ brings back memories for everyone?

    coco- i’m not sure if i cried more b/c the thought of that kid blowing out her mom’s penis-cake candles was hilarious or very, very sad. that’s just wrong!

    susan – i feel like the penis stuff is only abut 5 to 10 years old at best. i’m sure bachelorette parties before these things were very civilized and boring. Did you and your friends go to the library for yours?

    val – LOL LOL LOL. i’d love to cook tim’s crabs up in a merlot reduction with lots of garlic next time we’re together! Cin-TON! (btw, val is my cousin and we are not the most couth together)

    cindy: now i’m convinced b/w you and coco’s comment that penis cakes are just wrong. horribly, horribly wrong.

    adam: HA!! totally. i was hoping a guy would weigh in on this situation.

    jen: don’t be scared. allow your annoyance for you friend/boyfriend/husband’s trip to paris fuel the best soft-shell crab recipe ever! and then give him none.

  5. Yumm! This looks delicious. Glad you explained the penis paraphernalia…. I was a bit confused. There’s a place in the East Village that sells penis pasta (among other things) – I happened to wander in there “once” with my mom. Very awkward.

    xoxox Amy

  6. hey, amy! mmmm… i bet you anything it was ‘ricky’s’ which is like bachelorette headquarters. i’m embarrassed to say that someone bought me some penis pasta in italy and gave it to me before my wedding there. i was like, mmmm, thanks! now what the hell am i supposed to do w/ this? i can’t SERVE this!

  7. Bachelorette parties may as well have been invented by Greco-Roman wrestlers, such is their exuberance for the phallus. Nice sammich – I’ve got a Dungeness that needs eating, but I hafta shell that muhfuh first. πŸ™

  8. wow – thank you so much for this submission to TasteSpotting, and in our honor! πŸ˜‰

    would you mind resubmitting? something happened to the image when it got uploaded, and it cropped funny…maybe crop to 250 square before uploading so that it looks exactly how it should before it goes into the submissions queue?

    again, thanks for the submissions, and for the support of tastespotting!

    love,
    tastespotting

  9. I knew there was something I was supposed to hunt for this weekend! Next week I’m out of town, so I hope they’re still in season the weekend after. I did go with a seafood themed weekend though (guess there must of been some part of me that remembered that I was supposed to go to the fish market).

  10. OK, I think you just officially became my favorite blogger discovery of the month! First, I’m presented with this drool-inducing sandwich, and THEN, the pecker plates! My husband, who had the humor of a 7th grade male (which, to be honest, I share), will be thrilled!

  11. You should’ve switched out your husband’s straw in a restaurant… If the sight of him actually using the penis straw won’t traumatize you πŸ™‚
    I’ve never had soft-shelled crabs as a sandwich– looks really interesting! Good use of excess peppers too πŸ™‚

  12. I’m scrolling through this post, admiring the photos, and I do a double-take: is that a penis or has the internet tainted me so that everything looks sexual? Nope, phew, it IS a penis. I mean, not phew. lol

    The sandwiches look great, although I’d be giggling the whole time with claws sticking out of the bun. And due to the penis plate. I’m so mature

  13. Hey, guys! Yeah, you didn’t just get to a SPAM sight. Jesi… you’re my hero – working at Fantasy Gifts! HA!!! It’s kismet!

  14. Thanks for commenting on my blog! I am stumbling upon your guys’ blog and it’s awesome!!

    This looks seriously delicious. I’m getting hungry for lunch already and I’m dying to try this sandwich!

  15. Haha, great pic. I love soft shelled crab, but I much prefer when they’re deep fried and cut up so that I can’t see what whole. They’re a little scary when they’re whole πŸ™‚

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