Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
nervous? But I digress.

He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell crabs
once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were about
the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to eat.

So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really supposed
to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be softer? Is
it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes a difference?

And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to have
resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.

--
Donna

D.Currie wrote:
> Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
> nervous? But I digress.
>
> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell crabs
> once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were about
> the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to eat.
>
> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really supposed
> to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be softer? Is
> it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes a difference?
>
> And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to have
> resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
>
> --
> Donna

Anytime I have has softsheel crads they have been tempura fried. A bit
crunching but nothing like shrimp shells IMO.

Jessica

Jessica V. wrote:
>
> Anytime I have has softsheel crads they have been tempura fried. A bit
> crunching but nothing like shrimp shells IMO.
>
> Jessica

Have you ever had shrimp-in-their-shells tempura?

-bwg

> Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
> nervous? But I digress.
>
> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
crabs
> once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were about
> the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to eat.
>
> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
supposed
> to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be softer?
Is
> it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes a
difference?
>
> And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to have
> resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
>
> --
> Donna
>
How hard the sells are depends on how long it's been since the crap shed
it's shell. If you get them right after the shedding, then it's very soft...
after a while, the new shell starts to get harder, and at some point you
can't eat it. I've had them where you couldn't detect much shell, and have
had them like you are describing. In the latter case,you just need to eat
around the hard stuff. I still like them though

Larry T

"D.Currie" wrote >
>
> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
> crabs once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were
> about the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to
> eat.
>
> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
> supposed to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be
> softer? Is it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes
> a difference?

No, Donna, if the crab you ate was chewy, like shrimp shells, then you had
what is called a "paper shell". To be an actual soft crab, it is harvested
immediately it sheds its shell - within an hour or two, the shell starts to
harden. Many seafood restaurants here (and a lot of individuals) keep what
they call a "sloughing tank", which holds those crabs which are about to
molt. When they do, they're either cooked as soon as possible or
quick-frozen.

Try them again but make sure you're given the real McCoy. They're delicious
just dipped in a little flour and fried in butter. One of my favorite
foods!

Dora

"limey" > wrote in message
news:T60gg.790$9c7.527@trnddc06...
>
> "D.Currie" wrote >
>>
>> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
>> crabs once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were
>> about the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to
>> eat.
>>
>> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
>> supposed to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be
>> softer? Is it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes
>> a difference?
>
> No, Donna, if the crab you ate was chewy, like shrimp shells, then you
> had what is called a "paper shell". To be an actual soft crab, it is
> harvested immediately it sheds its shell - within an hour or two, the
> shell starts to harden. Many seafood restaurants here (and a lot of
> individuals) keep what they call a "sloughing tank", which holds those
> crabs which are about to molt. When they do, they're either cooked as
> soon as possible or quick-frozen.
>
> Try them again but make sure you're given the real McCoy. They're
> delicious just dipped in a little flour and fried in butter. One of my
> favorite foods!
>
> Dora

That makes sense. The guy on TV was saying that they flash freeze them on
the boats, which is why you never see them fresh unless you're right there
when they're caught. The one I ate (or tried to eat) definitely had a shell
of some kind on it. It was quite some time back, and I hadn't wanted to try
it again if it was going to be the same thing.

I'm used to dismantling things like lobsters or hard shelled crabs, and I
peel my shrimp, but that soft-shelled crab was just unpleasant. Too
complicated to peel like a shrimp, and not hard enough to crack open like a
lobster, but eating it was just yucky.

Maybe next time I see it somewhere, I'll give it a try.

Thanks,

Donna

D.Currie wrote:
> Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
> nervous? But I digress.
>
> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell crabs
> once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells were about
> the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I care to eat.
>
> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really supposed
> to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to be softer? Is
> it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that makes a difference?
>
> And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to have
> resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
>

In my experience, softer than shrimp shells. I'm thinking quality or age
of the crabs was the issue.

"D.Currie" > wrote in
:

> Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
> nervous? But I digress.
>
> He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
> crabs once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells
> were about the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I
> care to eat.
>
> So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
> supposed to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to
> be softer? Is it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that
> makes a difference?
>
> And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to
> have resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
>

I ate them once, in a restaurant, about 40 years ago, on a date with some
long-ago-forgotten lady. I had the same experience as you did. I didn't
care for them and have never eaten them since, rashly assuming that's the
way everyone prepared them.



--
Untie the two knots to email me

A politician thinks of the next election;
a statesman, the next generation.

James Freeman Clarke

Here's a link to the recipe in question if anyone is hungry or curious:
http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/ta...pisode111.html

I really like the show and def want to try some of what Curtis is
cookin!

Ken Knecht wrote:
> "D.Currie" > wrote in
> :
>
> > Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
> > nervous? But I digress.
> >
> > He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
> > crabs once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells
> > were about the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I
> > care to eat.
> >
> > So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
> > supposed to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to
> > be softer? Is it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that
> > makes a difference?
> >
> > And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to
> > have resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
> >
>
> I ate them once, in a restaurant, about 40 years ago, on a date with some
> long-ago-forgotten lady. I had the same experience as you did. I didn't
> care for them and have never eaten them since, rashly assuming that's the
> way everyone prepared them.
>
>
>
> --
> Untie the two knots to email me
>
> A politician thinks of the next election;
> a statesman, the next generation.
>
> James Freeman Clarke

wrote:

> Here's a link to the recipe in question if anyone is hungry or curious:
> http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/ta...pisode111.html
>
> I really like the show and def want to try some of what Curtis is
> cookin!
>
> Ken Knecht wrote:
>
>>"D.Currie" > wrote in
:
>>
>>
>>>Anyone seen the Take Home Chef on TLC? Is it just me, or does he seem
>>>nervous? But I digress.
>>>
>>>He cooked soft shelled crabs and everyone loved them. I ate soft shell
>>>crabs once, and didn't like them. It was a texture thing. The shells
>>>were about the same texture as shrimp shells, which aren't something I
>>>care to eat.
>>>
>>>So now I'm wondering...are the shells on soft shelled crabs really
>>>supposed to be that chewy? Like shrimp shells? Or are they supposed to
>>>be softer? Is it a preparation thing, or the quality of the crabs that
>>>makes a difference?
>>>
>>>And by the way, the computer issues that were kept me busy seem to
>>>have resolved themselves. Now I just have to catch up on my reading.
>>>
>>
>>I ate them once, in a restaurant, about 40 years ago, on a date with some
>>long-ago-forgotten lady. I had the same experience as you did. I didn't
>>care for them and have never eaten them since, rashly assuming that's the
>>way everyone prepared them.
>>

Crabs Benedictine

"The story goes that the monks in some monastery of the Benedictine
order in France discovered in the course of their meditations and
experiments on refinements of the calm pleasures of the refectory, that
crabs as well as chickens might be milk fed, and since that happy day
full many a tender young crustacean has been torn from its seaweed bed,
to be drowned luxuriously in rich custard or eggnog sauce as a prelude
to immolation on the gridiron.

The ancient recipe of the brothers of the black cowl prescribes a bath
of milk and eggs for the selected young soft shell crabs that are to be
treated in the Benedictine manner. The crabs are washed, but not
dressed or killed, and then they are placed in a deep bowl and immersed
in a rich mixture of beaten eggs and milk, and left to enjoy or lament
their peculiar fate for at least three hours. If the bowl is full and
the victim lively, a heavy cover should be provided to guard against a
break for liberty.

After the ablution the crabs are drained and dressed as usual; the
pulpy substance is torn from the undersides of the shell points, and the
apron stripped from the lower shell. Then they are dredged lightly in
flour seasoned with salt and pepper, dipped in well beaten eggs, covered
with finely sifted bread crumbs and fried to a golden brown in a kettle
of hot oil or lard. Drain on absorbent paper and serve at once in a
nest of crisp fried curled parsley (sprigs of clean parsley, dried,
dipped into a light batter sprig by sprig, plunged into hot deep fat and
removed at once) dotted here and there with small lemon or lime quarters.

This writer knows little enough of the physiology of crabs, but is
satisfied by repeated experiences and demonstrations, that they do
imbibe enough of the egg and milk to retain an appreciable quantity in
their tissues; and he has evolved some refinements in the honoured
tradition of the epicurean friars as follows:

Crabs Epicurean Friars Style

Instead of using merely eggs and milk as indicated in Crabs Benedictine
a rich, unsweetened eggnog bath is prepared as follows:

One pint of French Cognac, 1/2 pint of Jamaica rum, 1/2 cup each of
applejack (apple brandy) and peach brandy, 12 fresh eggs, separated, 2
quarts milk, or equal parts milk and thin cream or undiluted evaporated
milk, 1 tsp. of salt and freshly grated nutmeg. Beat the yolks until
light; gradually beat in the French brandy so as to cook the egg yolks;
then the combined other liquors. Now, gradually beat in the cold milk
or combined milk and thin cream; lastly, fold in the stiffly beaten egg
whites flavoured to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Instead of rum, you may substitute sherry, madeira, or marsala, using
no other liquor -- that is, use about 1 pint of either.

No large quantity of the eggnog is needed if the crabs are packed
closely in a deep earthenware or enamelled or porcelain vessel. But do
not use aluminium or copper utensils. Cover with a heavy plate and weight.

During the usual cleaning operations, the crabs are handled gently,
without pressure or squeezing, and dredged with seasoned flour as soon
as possible, then well covered with beaten egg and fresh sifted crumbs
of bread crusts. The frying basket and the kettle of good cooking oil
complete the process to perfection, and a Benedictine abbot could ask
nothing better than a serving with crisp watercress and quartered lemons.

In these days of budgets and lightly equipped kitchens and kitchenettes,
the deep kettle and the wire frying basket are not very common utensils;
nor is olive oil bought in gallons by American families, unless they
have learned that there is thrift and health in its use. Crabs,
however, even for Benedictine or Epicurean Friars fashion, may be cooked
quite satisfactorily in the frying pan, without immersion, if they are
sauteed carefully in plenty of butter, oil or fat. Turn and shuffle
them about deftly with a spatula, to avoid burning and drying, and brown
them as evenly as possible. Maitre d'Hotel butter, sauce tartare and
sauce ravigote are the first thoughts for crabs, but for the delicate
flavour of those fattened on egg and sherry or other wine or cordial or
liqueur, a simple Maitre d'Hotel butter is the safest thing."

From a private collection of recipes by a former head chef of the
Waldorf Astoria hotel, New York City, circa 1920.

My own experience with these recipes is that while delicious and well
worth trying they are more of what i would make as a 'party' food, or
for some special occasion. The former rather than the latter is quite
good and worth experimenting with.
---
JL

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Here's a link to the recipe in question if anyone is hungry or curious:
> http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/ta...pisode111.html
>
> I really like the show and def want to try some of what Curtis is
> cookin!
>

I've copied some of his recipes for later use, and tried one so far.

I'm a little curious about how much of that show is re-created, though.
There was one episode where Curtis and the woman walk in, and no one's home.
But there's a 4-year-old in the house. So either the kid was with her when
she was shopping and they re-filmed that and hid the kid in the house for
the walk-in part, or someone was home with the kid and they didn't want to
use that person in the episode.

There are other things that seem curious as well, Like one ep where the
woman and Curtis are peeling some veggies using identical peelers, but the
woman seems perplexed as to how to use it. So he probably brought them with.
But on another ep, there's a woman who's trying to peel a carrot with a
cheese plane.

And I noticed that everyone seems to have the same roasting pan...so I
wonder how much of the kitchen stuff really belongs to the people, and how
much of it Curtis brings with him.

Donna