SNACK ATTACK

Snack Attack

Soft-shells are an Outer Banks specialty

during the height of harvest time from about late April until early September. But enjoying this seasonal delicacy doesn’t have to mean reaching for the sliced bread – especially if you’ve got a line on a few live ones and the know-how to turn these coastal crustaceans into a treat that’s finger-licking good.

While you can often find frozen soft-shells year-round, any foodie will tell you that there’s nothing quite like a fresh catch…and when they’re in-season, you can be sure that just about any Outer Banks seafood market will have them. Most won’t clean them ahead of time, but will certainly be happy to do so with your purchase – and if you’re at all squeamish or unsure about the methods, your best option is to take them up on the offer.

Once they’re cleaned, turning them into bite-sized snacks is a relatively easy process. Simply quarter each soft-shell into equal parts and place them in a basic egg wash before transferring the pieces to a dry breading mix of your choice. Plenty of mixes can be found ready-made in any supermarket, but you can also whip up a batch of your own with a cup of cornmeal, a cup of flour and any additional spices you might desire – which will mean a healthy teaspoon of Old Bay for all the traditionalists out there.

To (deep) fry or (pan) fry, that is the question. For pan fans, you’ll want to make sure there’s at least a ½-inch of oil in your pan, and you’ll need to flip each soft-shell piece over to make sure they’re evenly crisped on both sides. If your taste runs extra-crispy, however, you’ll go the full mile and invest in a deep-fryer. Either way, temperature is key – and the sweet spot is a perfect 350 degrees.

For the best results, pay attention to size; soft-shells are often broadly categorized as small (called mediums), medium (primes), large (jumbos) and extra-large (whales) – and when you’re frying, you’ll get the most bang for your buck (i.e., the overall crispiness) with primes (which are generally a little under five inches, on average) since they contain less moisture than larger sizes.

Once your soft-shell bites are brown and crisp, drain them on a paper towel and start thinking about sides. For a buffalo-style spread (pictured), you can serve them with some hot sauce and a blue-cheese dip – but you may prefer to keep things simple with a creamy tartar sauce or to spice things up with a sweet chili dressing.

After that, all that’s left is to dig in – just don’t forget that it’s not polite to put your elbows on the table…or to double dip.

STYLED BY CHEF DAN LEWIS PHOTO BY ELIZABETH NEAL