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A close-up of a crispy, golden-brown fried soft-shell crab topped with three small portions of black caviar, served on a light-colored plate.

Fried Soft Shell Crab w/ Caviar

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Lightly battered and fried soft shell crab comes out golden and crisp, then topped with Golden Goat caviar and flaky salt for a briny finish. This dish pairs a simple fry technique with high-end ingredients.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Appetizer, Seafood
Cuisine: American, Seasonal
Calories: 244
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Soft shell crab cleaned
  • ½ cup Corn starch
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Sparkling water as needed
  • 2-3 cups Avocado oil
  • Golden Goat Caviar to finish
  • Flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • Medium pot or deep fryer
  • Thermometer
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan

Method
 

Prepare the Batter and Crab
  1. Lightly season soft shell crabs with kosher salt.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine corn starch, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Slowly add sparkling water while gently stirring until batter reaches a thick pancake batter consistency, clumpy but cohesive. Do not overmix.
Fry the Crab
  1. Heat avocado oil in a medium pot or cast iron skillet over medium heat to 330°F.
  2. Dip each crab into the batter, ensuring full coating. Let excess drip off.
  3. Carefully add crab to hot oil. Cook, turning every minute, lightly basting with oil, until golden brown and crispy, about 6–8 minutes.
  4. Remove crab and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately season with kosher salt.
To Plate
  1. Place fried soft shell crab on serving plates.
  2. Top with dollops of Golden Goat caviar.
  3. Finish with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.03gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 279mgPotassium: 2mgFiber: 1gCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.3mg

Notes

Storage: This one doesn't hold, serve it the moment it's fried and topped since the crust softens fast and caviar shouldn't sit. If you must save the plain fried crab before topping, keep it in the fridge for a few hours and re-crisp in a hot oven, never the microwave. Don't top with caviar until you're ready to eat.

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