Soft-Shell Crabs With Creamy Tomato Sauce

* Exported from MasterCook *

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Fish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
-----YIELD: 4 SERVINGS-----
6 tb Olive oil
6 Garlic clove -- thinly sliced
6 lg Shallots -- thinly sliced
1/2 ts Cumin seeds
1/4 ts Celery seeds
1/4 ts Crushed red pepper
1 t Salt
1 t Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ts Sugar
35 oz Tomatoes, whole -- packed in
-juice, drained & chopped
1 c Creme fraiche
1 c Flour
8 Soft-shell crabs -- cleaned

In a large nonreactive skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over
moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and cook,
stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent and the garlic
begins to brown, 5 to 6 minutes (don't let the garlic get too brown or it
will be bitter). Stir in the cumin and celery seeds, red pepper and 1/2
teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute longer. Stir
in the sugar and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to
moderately low and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes. Add the creme fraiche
and simmer for 6 minutes longer. Cover and keep warm. (The sauce can be
made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat before serving.)
Preheat the oven to 250F. On a plate, toss the flour with the remaining
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Pat the crabs dry with paper
towels and dredge them in the seasoned flour. In a large skillet,
preferably nonstick, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderately
high heat. Add 4 of the crabs and cook, turning once, until red and crisp,
about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the crabs to a heatproof platter and
place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons
olive oil and 4 crabs. To serve, spoon the tomato sauce onto 4 warmed
plates and arrange 2 crabs on the sauce on each plate. Recipe from Food &
Wine, June, 1991

Submitted By WARING@IMA.INFOMAIL.COM (SAM WARING) On 4 JUN 1995 073117
~0600



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