Chilled Fresh Pea Soup with Crab & Guacamole Salad

I've never really been a huge fan of chilled soups. I can't stand gazpacho, which always surprises people for some reason (it always just tastes like salsa to me!), and I prefer my vichyssoise hot.

Which is why it was weird that I ordered a chilled pea soup as my starter at dinner at the North Fork Table & Inn last week.

I had read a lot of amazing things about North Fork Table & Inn, and when Eugene arranged a little last-minute escape to the North Fork for the 4th of July, it was at the top of my list of places I wanted to try. We went there for dinner on Monday night, and it was my favorite meal the entire trip.  We chose the pre-fixe three-course menu (it's either that or a tasting menu, but I preferred the options on the pre-fixe menu). For some reason, the soup jumped out at me, and I ordered it, hoping that I wouldn't regret my decision.

I didn't. It was incredible.

The soup was ice cold and sweet, and a gorgeous shade of green that I want to paint on my walls, but it was really the garnishes in the center that made it for me. Oh man do I love garnishes!

Jumbo lump crab and diced avocados with sliced radishes floating in that silky, spring-like broth. The only thing wrong with it is that they were pretty skimpy with the garnishes.

So, as I'm wont to do, I got home and remade the soup, tripling the garnishes and piling them into a delicious little heap of crab salad set in the center of a delicately flavored soup--perfect for this ridiculous hot weather we've been having.

I should note that the soup can be a bit fussy to make. It's not hard at all--ridiculously easy, actually--but there are a few steps. It cooks up quickly, but then you have to puree and strain and then chill over an ice bath. And then when you serve a bowl to your husband, he's going to eat it in about 4 minutes flat, and you're going to be all like "WHAT THE HECK!?! THAT TOOK ME ALL MORNING!"

OK, maybe that's just me.

But seriously, if you're organized though, it'll go quickly and the results will be super worth it. The leftovers keep well for a few days, so make a large batch and keep it in the fridge for a quick lunch over the next few days.

This is also SO great for a dinner party because then you can do the fancy restaurant thing where you serve the guest the bowl with the garnish in the center and then dramatically pour the soup in around it.

So fancy!  They'll LOVE it!

And yes, the crab and avocado salad is awesome on its own, too. And it's ready in, like, 3 minutes so... do as you please.

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Chilled Fresh Pea Soup with Crab & Guacamole Salad Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, tough green parts removed, rinsed well, and tender white and green parts thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 celery ribs, sliced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (homemade if you've got it!)
4 cups fresh or frozen peas
1 pound sugar snap peas
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the salad
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound pasteurized crab meat (use jumbo lump if you're feeling fancy or regular claw meat for a more affordable option
2 ripe avocados

Directions
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and add the leeks, garlic, and celery ribs. Saute until tender but not colored, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and let simmer 15 minutes until all vegetables are very tender.

While the vegetables simmer, prepare an ice bath by placing a large bowl in a roasting pan and filling the pan with ice and water.

Add the peas and sugar snaps to the soup, and let simmer 3-5 minutes until tender, but still bright green. Immediately remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and puree using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Pour the soup through a mesh strainer into the ice bath and stir to chill. Transfer the soup in batches to the ice bath and stir to chill. Stir in the heavy cream. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper as desired (remember that the savory crab salad will add a lot of flavor so you may prefer to keep the soup a little on the blander side).

Can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance (store in an air-tight container in the fridge and stir before serving.)

Prepare the crab salad just before serving:

Whisk together the cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and kosher salt. Gently toss with the crab meat. Dice the avocado and delicately fold into the crab salad.

To serve: divide the crab salad and pile into the center of a shallow bowl. Pour the soup around the salad and serve. (You can also serve the soup in a small container along with the plate and let each guest pour it for himself at the table.)

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Semolina-Crusted Soft-Shell Crab BKT Sandwiches

The soft-shell crabs got me again this year! They are my favorite, and I look forward to them each year in such a way that I can tell you exactly what I was doing last year the first time I ate them for the season.

Soft-shell crabs are generally in season from about late-April through July; just in time to signify the beginning of good weather days--of warm outdoor meals and sunny afternoon walks. It's glasses of cold white wine, sweet berries, and long, lazy evenings spent sitting outdoors until long after the sun goes down.

I squealed when I saw them in stock at the store, excitedly messaging Eugene to tell him the good news. I immediately bought four, visions of overflowing soft-shell crab BLT sandwiches floating in my head.

I love being surprised by seasonal food. I love that feeling of walking into a market or opening up a restaurant menu and suddenly seeing that dish or ingredient that I love but haven't been able to eat all year. It's one of the best things about eating seasonally--that sense of real joy and appreciation that we completely miss by forcing food to conform to our whims and cravings, rather than the seasons laid out by God and nature.

I was explaining this to a friend recently and I compared the excitement to the one we feel in the beginning of Spring or near the end of Summer in the parts of the world where the seasons change; where you can feel  the bright heat of summer and the biting cold of winter. As harsh and difficult as it can be to deal with the changes, I welcome them. After a long hot summer, I look forward to pulling out the thick sweater dresses and tall boots. And in the spring, I anxiously await the moment when I can run outside in little more than a pair of flip-flops and a breezy dress.

We may have found a way to control our food by flying and trucking it in from far away, but the weather is something that we have little dominion over--even in the more temperate of climates. We can predict it, but we can't change it or mold it. We can't package sunshine and ship it across state lines. We can't bottle up rain clouds and sell them to a country in need of rain. And we can't, no matter how often we may joke about it, bring good weather back with us as a vacation souvenir.

But I like that. I like that there are some things we're forced to recognize are out of our control. That no matter how hard we try, we're ultimately not the boss of this Earth, but rather the other way around.

I like to pan-fry my soft-shell crabs. A quick drench in buttermilk and semolina flour then fried to a crisp in a bit of olive oil and bacon fat is the perfect way to bring out the natural flavors and textures. They're wonderful this way on their own with little more than a squeeze of lemon, but I also love to layer them into a sandwich using the best of everything--freshly baked ciabatta sandwich rolls spread generously with mayonnaise, thick slices of crispy Black Forest bacon, a few sliced tomatoes, and (the surprise) big pieces of leafy kale.

I really recommend replacing lettuce with fresh kale in your sandwiches. Kale--hearty and packed with nutrients--works beautifully in sandwiches. It holds up well, looks gorgeous, and adds great texture and flavor. It's inexpensive too, and will keep much longer in the fridge than regular lettuce. Try it on your next sandwich or burger, and let me know what you think!

I served this sandwich for lunch last weekend, along with a basket of homemade tortilla chips and a bottle of chilled Vinho Verde. The entire meal (chips included) took about 40 minutes to put together and cost around $20 for the two of us, wine included. (And we never even had to change out of our pajamas!)

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Semolina-Crusted Soft-Shell Crab BKT Sandwiches
Fresh raw kale leaves replace the traditional lettuce in this variation of a BLT
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
8 strips of thick-cut bacon
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
2 cups semolina flour (can replace with cornmeal or regular all-purpose)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 sandwich rolls, sliced in half (use a hearty roll such as ciabatta)
Mayonnaise
4 leaves of kale, rinsed and patted dry
1 large tomato, sliced thinly

Directions
Rinse the the cleaned soft-shell crabs and pat dry (Note: cleaning will typically be done by the fish monger upon purchase--it entails cutting off the "face" portion of the crab, among other things.).

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp and remove to a towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.

Combine the buttermilk, pepper, and salt in a shallow bowl. Pour the flour into a separate shallow bowl and season with the other teaspoon each of black pepper and salt. Whisk to combine. Dip each crab into the buttermilk and coat completely, then dredge in the flour mixture until full coated. Tap off the excess flour and set on a tray while you repeat with the rest of the crabs.

Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet with the bacon fat and heat over medium high heat. When hot, cook the crabs, two at a time about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crisp. (Watch out because the crabs may spit once in the hot oil.) Let the cooked crabs drain on a towel-lined plate.

To assemble:
Spread mayonnaise to taste on one side of the split ciabatta loaves. Top each sandwich with one slice kale, one crab, two slices of bacon, and the tomatoes. Top with other half of roll and serve immediately.

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Ginger Scallion Crab Cakes

I'm a little bit obsessed with a restaurant here in the city called Fatty Crab. A funky take on Malaysian street food, the menu is an absolute assault of spice and flavor (in the best possible way). I went there for the first time last August for my friend Lindsay's birthday, during which she, a few friends, and I spent two hours splitting spicy family style dishes and moaning over every new flavor.

Think dishes like crispy pork served with gingery pickled watermelons, sticky sweet coconut fried rice, giant bowls of messy and fiery chili crab, and cocktails flavored with cilantro, lime, and generous shots of chili-infused rum. And I didn't even have to order dessert (which I *always* do!) because they just always give it to you automatically. For free. (Usually a delicious chewy mochi cake that's so good it keeps me up at night gnawing on my pillow.)

I seriously loved my first meal there so much, that I spent the next month daydreaming about it and trying to recreate the dishes at home. After hearing about me rave and rave for months, Eugene finally agreed to join me for a meal there. I was so psyched about this, and bopped around the apartment in expectation for days, convinced that he, too, was going to love it.

But he didn't!

For some, weird strange reason that I still don't understand, he doesn't like the place. You can imagine how much of let down this was; I would eat at this place constantly if I could, but my main and most adored dining companion is... Just. Not. A fan.

::Sigh::

So, while I hunt around for a dining buddy with a similar interest in the bold and the spicy, I've been forced to continue and try to chase down these intense flavors in my own kitchen. (The aforementioned Lindsay, who is herself rather bold and spicy and whom would have made a fine dining companion, is unfortunately disqualified from this role due to distance and upcoming international gallivants.)

I've come close a few times; once with a recipe for gingery meatballs that have been sitting in the queue for ages (soon! I promise!). My latest creation are these ginger and scallion crab cakes, which are packed with ginger and cilantro and enough heat to quell my Fatty Crab fantasies, at least for a week or so. Even if you have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to this place, trust me when I say that these crabcakes are absolutely delicious and make for a brilliant dinner or lunch. They can even be prepared ahead of time, so that all you have to do before dinner (or a dinner party) is heat the oil and sizzle them until golden.

And yes, if you are one of those poor people who can't handle cilantro, you can skip it. (Though it breaks my heart to even type that...)

If you're wondering how to serve them, I love them over a big bed of mixed greens dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette (just whisk together a tablespoon of mustard with some red wine vinegar, diced shallots, and olive oil and toss with the greens). Depending on how big I make them, 2 or 3 crab cakes per person is enough for a meal. If you want something a bit heartier, you can also serve these with a lemon risotto, or with any number of grilled or steamed vegetables. I dig them with the salad though; crab cakes and salad are just perfect in my book.

I hope you enjoy these! And if my raving has motivated you to check out Fatty Crab for yourself, email me first at Alejandra@AlwaysOrderDessert.com and I'll send you a list of my favorite "must try this" items from their menu.


A BONUS Challenge For You: I'm going to officially put it out there that I will bake a big 10" cake of your choice to the first person who obtains and sends me the recipe for those freaking amazing chewy mochi cakes (the actual Fatty Crab recipe, that is).


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Thanks for reading!

Ginger Scallion Crab Cakes
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 shallot minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs/flakes) or 1 cup plain regular bread crumbs
1 pound fresh or pasteurized crab meat (claw or back-fin is fine for this dish, but you can also use the pricier jumbo lump)

Directions
Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sized skillet over medium heat, and add the minced garlic, shallots, and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes, just until they start to get a bit of color and release an aromatic smell. remove from heat and pour (along with oil) into a large bowl.

To the bowl, add the chopped scallions, cilantro, minced jalapeno, red pepper, mayonnaise, lime juice, soy sauce if using, egg, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined. Fold in the panko and crabmeat and gently mix until well combined (careful not to break up the crab meat too much).

Use a large spoon to scoop up servings of about a 1/2 cup and shape into a patty with your hands. Place on a wax or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the mix (depending on how big you make the patties you should get about 8-10 patties).

Let the patties set for about 10 minutes (I used the time to clean up).

Pour about a 1/4 of olive oil into a heavy bottomed skillet (meaning the oil should come up the pan about a 1/4 inch) and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, use a spatula to gently slide the patties into the oil in batches. (I do 2-3 at time, max). Let fry on the first side for about 2-3 minutes and then flip using the spatula. Let fry on the other side for another 2-3 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from oil and let drain on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

Continue with the rest of the patties (you can also just make a few of them and leave the rest covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 2 days).

Serve immediately on a bed of dressed mixed greens or with another favorite side dish. Offer cocktail sauce on the side, if desired.

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Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs in White Wine Lemon Sauce

Have you ever held a raw soft-shell crab in your hand? There is something lovely and delicate about the way it sits there, cool and squooshy on your palm. The claws drape over the sides and the thin papery shell seems to barely cover the soft meat inside.

I ask my fishmonger to clean them for me. Clean really means kill, but we keep it nice and polite as I point out the ones I want so that he can take them to the back. I avert my eyes as he snips off their faces and wraps them in crisp sheets of white parchment. Into the basket they go, along with a couple ripe avocados and an overflowing bunch of arugula. Near the register I grab a crusty sourdough boule. I stop myself from adding a loaf of chocolate pound cake.

At home I rinse them and I pat them dry, resisting the urge to pinch a claw with each hand and spin around the room like Wendy Darling and her little brothers. I wisk buttermilk with salt and pepper and a shake of Old Bay, then drop them into the milk white bath for a long soak.


In the meantime, I wash the arugula and pull the husks off a few stalks of corn. If I lived in a house with a door that opened out to the backyard, I'd grill them with the husks still on. But I live in an apartment and it's 400 degrees in NY and I can't open my kitchen window without climbing onto the counter to reach behind the refrigerator. So I sort-of steam them in a skillet with a half-inch of salted water.

When I decide the crabs are ready, I pull them out of the bowl and give them a quick shake. They dance a little, and I can't resist giving their soft bellies a little squeeze before I dredge them in flour that I've seasoned with salt and pepper and Old Bay (we're keeping this simple). (And don't you love the word dredge?)


I forgot to tell you about the pot! My big, red Dutch oven has been sitting on the stove this whole time, getting nice and hot. I've dropped a couple big pats of butter and it's now bubbling and ready. The crabs go in two at a time with a big sizzle and crackle as they hit the hot butter. I leave them about 4 minutes on each side until they are crisp and golden and the tips of the claws are just a little bit of red poking through. The other two go in next, and then it's time for the sauce.

Into the big, hot pot (minus the crabs, who were already sitting on plate like crispy ladies in waiting) I pour about a cup of white wine. You're supposed to use something good enough to drink, but I use crappy leftover Chardonnay and it won't make a difference. I add the juice of one lemon and use scissors to snip in about 2 inches of those big, giant, farmer's market scallions. And a little bit more butter, of course. Some salt, some pepper, bubble, and reduce.

Each plate gets a little pile of arugula, a healthy drizzle of sauce, and two crabs leaning against each other like a pair of roommates walking home from a bar.

They were better, he says after we eat, than the ones we ate at the restaurant the other night. I admit that I agree.

Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs in White Wine Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
4 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
1 cup white wine
Juice of 1 whole lemon
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
3 cups of washed and chopped arugula


Directions

1. Wisk together the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and Old bay in a large bowl. Soak the crabs for at least 15 minutes and no more than 1 hour (in the refrigerator).

2. Remove one crab from the buttermilk mixture and shake off excess. Drop into plate of flour and dredge completely. Shake off excess flour and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining crabs.

3. In a heavy Dutch oven or skillet, heat two tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until melted and sizzling. Saute the crabs, upside down first, two minutes then turn over and saute for an addtional 3 minutes until crisp and golden brown on each side. Remove to a plate, add the other 2 tablespoons of butter, and repeat with other two crabs.

4. Pour the wine into the pot to deglaze the pan, let simmer until the alcohol burns off, then add the lemon juice, scallions, and remaining butter. Lower the heat to medium and let reduce. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve the crabs over the arugula, 2 crabs per person and drizzle generously with the sauce.

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