One of the many strong points of Greek cuisine is that within the lifestyle/way Greeks eat is also the meze/appetizers served at one’s home or at the rustic taverna. Mezedes (appetizers) may come in the form of dips, table cheeses, olives, salads, savory pies, meats and of course, fish and seafood. The plates are small, sharing is encouraged and the endless ordering off the menu ensues. It’s not unusual for Greeks to eat, chat, drink, eat, drink (and chat some more) way beyond midnight.

I found some frozen soft-shell crab at the market and with my living in Toronto (about 12 hours drive from the Atlantic), I knew I had come across a rare treat to be enjoyed…soft-shell crab. Simplicity rules here with a couple of twists to some classic Greek dishes: I’m using my recipe for dredging calamari and applying it to soft-shell crab and rather than serve the crab with an aoli, I’m opting for a Skordalia. Skordalia is a dip/condiment made with either bread or cooked potatoes and spiked with  raw garlic and made light and fluffy with the addition of extra-virgin Greek olive oil. Skordalia is classically served with battered & fried salt cod fish.

My small twist to a classic Skordalia is adding some roasted red peppers to satisfy my Floriniotiko craving. Before I get on to the recipe, a few things of soft-shell crab: Live/raw, they appear black/green in colour  and the reason they are “soft shell” is because they are caught just after they have molted their hard shell. Here in North America, soft-shell crab is in fact the blue crab (after it has shed its exoskeleton). The soft-shell crab get dunked here in some buttermilk then get dredged in my flour mixture and they are simply shallow-fried until crisp and golden.

Soft Shell Crab With Red Pepper Skordalia (Καβουρια Τηγανιτα με Σκορδαλια απο Πιπερια Φλωρινης)

(serves 4 as appetizer)

4 soft shell crabs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. corn starch (or rice flour)

2 Tbsp. corn meal

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1 /2 tsp. fine sea salt

Red Pepper Skordalia

1 large Russet (or Yukon Gold) potato

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tsp. red wine vinegar

1 roasted red pepper

pinch of Boukovo (chilli flakes)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 toasted pine nuts, chopped

salt to taste

Oil for frying (regular olive oil or sunflower oil)

1. First, let’s make the red pepper Skordalia by placing your potato (skin on) in a pot with enough water to cover it and add some salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and boil until the potato is fork-tender (about 15 minutes). In the meantime, char your roast pepper on a gas grill, gas stove-top or broiler in your oven until all sides of the pepper are blackened & blistered. Place in a bowl and cover with cling-wrap. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins, remove the stem and seeds and mash the meat of the pepper and reserve.
2. Once your potato has cooked, drain and replace with cold water and as soon as the potato is cool enough to handle (should still be warm), use the back of a knife to peel away the skins. Place the potato through a ricer and into a bowl. Add the red pepper puree, garlic and wine vinegar and quickly mix with a fork. Add the olive oil in small increments and continue mixing with your fork (add more oil only when the potato mixture has absorbed it). Add the chopped toasted pine nuts and adjust seasoning with salt. Reserve.
3. To prepare your soft-shell crab, snip off the flappy tail and the snip off the the face (front) of the crab. Now gently squeeze behind where face was to remove the tomalley. Now gently open the top part of the crab until you see the lungs on each side of the crab. Lift with your fingers, snip-off with your scissors and discard.
4. In a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, corn starch, corn meal, paprika, black pepper and salt and mix well with a fork. Have a quick taste by dabbing your finger in and adjust taste accordingly. Dip the crabs in the buttermilk then gently dredge them in the flour mixture (soft-shell crabs are delicate and you don’t want to break off the claws and feet).
5. Add about 1 inch of oil into a deep pan and heat to a temperature of approx.  360F. Carefully place your crabs into the hot oil and fry for about 3 minutes a side or until golden. Remove and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb excess fat then plate. Serve on a platter with a lemon wedge and a some red pepper Skordalia on the side. Serve with a Domaine Tselepos Amalia Brut sparkling wine.

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© 2007-2010 Peter Minakis