Mmmm! Soft-shell crabs with market vegetable salad

Chef Bill Telepan shares delicious, fresh recipes with TODAY viewers

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>>> now on "today's kitchen" what's cooking? we're kicking off soft shell crab season. the recipe includes lemon bread crumbs , asparagus.

>> bill telepan is ready to stir that up. chef and owner of the telepan restaurant in new york city . these are one of my favorite things. love it when they come into season.

>> me, too. around mother's day is when they're really thriving. we just put them on the menu at the restaurant.

>> how are we cooking these up?

>> i'm going to make a bread crumb mixture using sour dough bread crumbs . lemon juice and zest to give it a little flavor. parsley and salt. we'll mix that up real quick. i'm going to just lightly bread them. you don't want to dredge them too much in there. it'll take away the flavor of the crab.

>> you want to taste the crab.

>> you want to taste the crab. this way this will help. just give them a little crispiness. a little dip in the flour. you got to get them cleaned by your fishmonger. you don't want to take them home and have them running around in your house.

>> you don't want to ask where they've been.

>> no. put them in a little oil. this is sort of --

>> just olive oil ?

>> olive oil or vegetable oil . you want to start it off a little cooler than this. let it go. you don't want the crumbs to burn. if you start them off like a little low pan and it comes up to a sizzle, you can pop them into a 425 degree oven for three or four minutes. it'll come out nice.

>> for the herbiole, capers here. anchovies. garlic. we're going to make a mash here.

>> i'm always amazed when chefs come on. because they still have their fingers. you know? it scares me to death.

>> it's funny. one time you go like this.

>> stop!

>> we're going to mash this up to, like, a paste. we're going to mix this, put this into -- with some mayonnaise. taragon, parsley, thyme, chooiives, a little dill. shallots. mayonnaise. this is the herbiole. mix it up nice. make this an hour ahead, maybe the day before.

>> chill it a little ?

>> chill it. let the flavors marinate.

>> flip that baby?

>> one side. good for now.

>> mm-hmm.

>> here. we got the real thing going. we're okay. we have some asparagus that we browned. a little olive oil . add some vegetable stock and some butter. braise them in there. we're going to just plate this here.

>> so pretty when they're long and skinny like that.

>> they're really wonderful now. we've got a couple crabbies here.

>> you never did turn it over. you cooked it all the way through on one side.

>> then he put it in the oven on the other side.

>> put it in the oven. after it comes out of the oven about one minute.

>> you want it crispy. you want it a little crispy.

>> for sure. go in there. some roasted potatoes, too.

>> rip it apart.

>> we got a lot to move on here.

>> delicious. awesome. delicious.

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TODAY recipes

updated 6/7/2012 3:18:01 PM ET

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Bill Telepan is the chef and owner of Telepan Restaurant on Manhattan's Upper West Side. He studied at The Culinary Institute of America, where he learned the importance of retaining the integrity of fresh ingredients. Here, Telepan shares delicious recipes to help kick off soft-shell crab season.

Recipe: Soft shell crabs with lemon breadcrumbs, braised asparagus and herb aioli (on this page) Recipe: Market vegetable salad with creamy lemon vinaigrette (on this page) Recipe: Grilled or roasted fingerling potatoes (on this page)

Recipe: Soft shell crabs with lemon breadcrumbs, braised asparagus and herb aioli

Bill Telepan

Ingredients

For the herb aioli:
1 tbsp capers-rinsed
1 anchovy-rinsed
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped shallot
1 tsp chopped tarragon
1 tsp chopped chervil
3 ounces mayo
For the braised asparagus:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces asparagus, peeled if thick
2 tablespoons vegetable stock or water
For the soft-shell crabs:
1 cup breadcrumbs
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
8 medium sized soft-shell crabs, cleaned
1 cup flour, for dredging
1 egg, for dredging
4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Preparation

To make the herb aioli:
Chop and mash capers, anchovy and garlic together.

Mix with remaining ingredients, season with salt and reserve.

To make the braised asparagus:
Heat a medium sauté pan on high heat and add the oil. When oil is just below smoking point, add asparagus and cook until lightly brown, about 3-5 minutes depending on thickness. Then add stock or water to prevent further browning.

To prepare the soft-shell crabs:
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon juice and zest and parsley with a little salt until well combined. Reserve.

Place flour and egg in separate small bowls and dip the tops of the soft shells only in the flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mix. Repeat with remaining soft shells.

In a large sauté pan, add half the oil and heat on high heat. When the oil is starting to get warm, add the crabs. When they come to a sizzle, place in oven. Leave in oven for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and place on medium heat, flip crabs and let cook for 1 minute. Remove from pan, and place on a paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining crabs. Serve on top of asparagus and serve with aioli.

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Recipe: Market vegetable salad with creamy lemon vinaigrette

Bill Telepan

Ingredients

For the creamy lemon vinaigrette:
1 egg yolk
2 oz lemon juice
6 oz extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs (chives, parsley, basil, chervil)
2 oz mesclun
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups of the following mixed vegetables:
Fava beans: raw, shelled, individual bean skins removed
Peas: raw, shelled
Carrots: peeled and thinly sliced on mandolin
Radishes: thinly sliced on mandolin
Beets: cooked, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced on mandolin
Zucchini: thinly sliced on mandolin
Sugar snap peas: bias cut
Asparagus: blanched and cut

Preparation

To make the creamy lemon vinaigrette:
Whisk together the yolk and lemon juice. Season with some salt and pepper.

Continue to whisk while slowly drizzling in the olive oil and cream. Correct seasoning if needed.

To prepare the salad:
Dress the mixed vegetables, chopped herbs and mesclun with 6 ounces of the creamy lemon vinaigrette. Mix in, season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Drizzle each plate with remaining creamy lemon vinaigrette. Serve.

Serving Size

Serves 4 to 6.

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Recipe: Grilled or roasted fingerling potatoes

Bill Telepan

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound fingerling potatoes
4 branches (sprigs) thyme

Preparation

Place 1 tablespoon oil, potatoes, branches of thyme, 2 tablespoons and a good pinch of salt onto a large piece of foil, fold up and place on top of a grill or under a broiler and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

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