From:   Mikimotos Asian Grill &
Sushi Bar
Executive Chef, Sean McNeice


Crispy Soft Shell Blue Claw
Over grilled tomatillo green gazpacho, baby greens and pineapple – jicama pico de gallo

For the green gazpacho:

½ pound peeled and cleaned tomatillos (grilled medium)

1 perfect avocado (peeled and pitted)

1 medium vine ripe tomato (peeled and seeded)

½ bunch watercress (chopped)

½ bunch cilantro (chopped)

1 cup chicken stock (or broth)

1 tsp grated garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

1 TBSP lime juice

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

Salt and pepper to taste

Once the tomatillos have been grilled and allowed to cool, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Chill gazpacho before serving.

For the Pico De Gallo:

1 small Jicama (peeled and diced)

½ pineapple (peeled and diced)

1 cucumber (peeled, seeded and diced)

2 sprigs of cilantro (chopped)

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the pineapple, jicama, cucumber and cilantro in a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Chill pico de gallo before serving.
 

For the Soft Shell:

1 properly cleaned soft shell crab

2 cups flour

1 tsp seasoning. (At Mikimotos, we use a seasoning mixture called “Shichimi;” a blend of chili peppers, sesame seeds, Japanese peppers and other spices. “Old Bay” seasoning would substitute.)

½ cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)

½ cup plain yogurt

Separate the flour into 2 bowls. Add the seasoning to one and combine well. In a third bowl combine the milk and yogurt.

To deep fry, heat the fat up to 350 degrees. First, coat the crab with the plain flour, then fully coat with the milk-yogurt mixture, and finally, coat in the seasoned flour. Float the crab topside down in the fryer for 2 minutes (or until golden) then flip for another 2 minutes and strain.

To panfry, heat a sauté pan with ¼ cup vegetable oil. Follow the same flouring directions for the deep fry method. Lay the crab in the pan topside down for 2 to 3 minutes then flip for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the middle is done, taking care not to burn the crab.

To Assemble:
Begin by ladling some gazpacho into a bowl or plate. Garnish with baby greens. Place the crab on top of the greens and the pico de gallo on top, to finish.