Daniel Bruce's
Pan-Fried Soft Shell Crab
with Sweet Corn,
Wild Ramps and Spicy Almond Sauce
Serves 4
 

• 4 jumbo soft shell crabs
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons almond oil
• 2 ears sweet corn
• 12 wild ramps
• 24 red sweet 100 tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1/2 cup Spicy Almond Sauce
• 12 Thai basil leaves, fried in almond oil
• Sliced almonds for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Clean soft shell crab with knife or scissors, removing apron, lungs and head. Place in small bowl and soak in milk for one hour to add flavor and moisture. Remove corn kernels from cob by standing cob on one flat end in a casserole dish with a cutting board inside and slicing the kernels off the cob; the kernels will fall into the casserole dish. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon almond oil over high heat. Add wild ramps and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add corn and sauté an additional 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove vegetables to a plate and keep warm. Combine flour and cornmeal on a plate and dredge crab in flour mixture. Wipe out pan and reheat over high heat, adding remaining oil. Fry crab until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. To serve, place crab on cutting board and cut in half. Divide corn mixture among four serving plates, arrange crab halves (2 per plate) on top of corn mixture. Garnish plate with Spicy Almond Sauce, sliced almonds and fried Thai basil leaves.