Herb-Stuffed Soft-Shell Crabs with Fresh Corn Spoon Bread

The herb mixture is rubbed under the crab shells so it can flavor the delicate meat. The slightly sweet spoon bread balances the herby crab.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed crab and 2/3 cup spoon bread)

Ingredients

• Spoon bread:
• 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons  cornmeal
• 1 1/2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  cup  fresh white corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  large egg yolks
• 4  large egg whites
• Cooking spray
• 
  Crabs:
• 1/4  cup  finely chopped fresh basil
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh chives
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 6  (6-ounce) soft-shell crabs, cleaned

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare the spoon bread, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup. Combine flour, cornmeal, and milk in a medium saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in corn, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until very thick (mixture will begin to lift up from the bottom of the pot when stirred.) Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter and pepper.

Spoon the corn mixture into a large bowl; stir in egg yolks. Place egg whites in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-third of egg white mixture into corn mixture; gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until top is browned and center is set. Remove from heat; cool spoon bread on a wire rack 10 minutes.

Preheat broiler.

To prepare crabs, combine basil and next 5 ingredients (basil through garlic); spread 1 1/2 teaspoons herb mixture undershells of each crab. Rub outside of crabs with the remaining herb mixture. Coat tops of crabs with cooking spray; place crabs on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray. Place baking sheet 8 inches away from broiler, and cook 7 minutes or until crabs are done. Serve stuffed crabs with spoon bread.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

310 (27% from fat)

Fat:

9.4g (sat 4g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.4g)

Protein:

33.7g

Carbohydrate:

23.5g

Fiber:

1.2g

Cholesterol:

86mg

Iron:

4.5mg

Sodium:

610mg

Calcium:

87mg