Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [33]
Soft Shell Crabs
¾ cup Wondra flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 medium soft shell crabs, cleaned
8 tablespoons canola oil
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1. To make the succotash, combine the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over high heat and cook until the butter is melted and begins to sizzle. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the corn and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the black-eyed peas, lima beans, and tomato, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the tomato softens slightly and the peas and beans are heated through, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, green onions, and parsley. Keep warm.
4. To cook the soft shell crabs, put the flour in a large shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pat the crabs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Dredge 2 of the crabs on both sides in the flour and tap off the excess. Place the crabs in the pan, upside down, and cook on each side until golden brown and just cooked through, about 7 minutes total. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and repeat with the remaining oil and crabs. Place 2 crabs on each of 4 plates and tent loosely to keep warm.
6. Wipe out the pan with paper towels and return to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until it begins to turn a medium brown color, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, immediately add the lemon zest and juice and dill, and season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour the sauce over the soft shell crabs and serve the succotash on the side.
Red Snapper
RED SNAPPER
CABBAGE SLAW, SALSAS, FLOUR TORTILLAS
Fish tacos originated in Mexico’s Baja California and spread up the coast to southern California. Versions featuring deep-fried fish are the most common, but I prefer to grill light, flaky red snapper for these tacos. The grill gives the fish a touch of smoky, charred flavor, which balances the fresh garnishes of tart tomatillo-avocado relish and crunchy red cabbage slaw. Cabbage is a traditional garnish for fish tacos and keeps its crunch factor long past the point when lettuce would have wilted. I make my slaw from a mix of delicate, pale green napa and deep purple red cabbages. Sweet basil may seem an unexpected choice, but its flavor complements the citrus juice in the slaw’s vinaigrette and offsets the assertive cilantro in the charred tomato salsa.
Serves 4
Cabbage Slaw
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons clover honey
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup canola oil
2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
1 large carrot, finely shredded
Fish Tacos
3 (8-ounce) skinless red snapper fillets
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 (4-inch) flour tortillas
Charred Tomato Salsa
Tomatillo-Avocado Relish
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1. To make the cabbage slaw, put the lemon juice, orange juice, mustard, honey, and basil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. With the motor running, add the oil and blend until emulsified. Reserve ¼ cup of the citrus vinaigrette for the fish.
2. Combine the napa and red cabbages and carrot in a large bowl, add the remaining vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. The slaw can be made 1 hour in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.
3. To cook the fish, preheat the grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush both sides of the fish with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and immediately drizzle with the ¼ cup reserved