East Coast Surf and Turf Burger
Ingredients
6 soft-shell crabs, fresh or thawed
1 cup Enova oil
3/4 cup Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup all purpose flour
8 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (for breading, sprinkling and patties)
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, smashed and very finely chopped
3/4 cup Clamato juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (not the sauce, just the horseradish)
2 slices slightly stale bread, cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
2.5 pounds ground Angus chuck
Oil for the grill rack
1 (8 ounce) ounce jar Zatarain’s Remoulade sauce or other prepared Remoulade sauce
6 Sourdough Hamburger Buns
1 head of Frisee (also known as curly endive)
Instructions
Clean the crabs by removing all non-eatable areas such as apron, gills (under the top shell), eye area, and fat and set aside.
Bring one side of the grill to high heat and place a large oven safe skillet or cast iron frying pan on the top of the hot side of the grill. When it’s up to temperature remove it from the grill, add the Enova oil and return it back to the grill in the same spot. Bring the oil temperature up to at least 375 degrees. Always be careful when that much oil is on the grill!
Pour the wine in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, add the flour and 4 tablespoons of Old Bay reserving the rest for the patty filling. Mix the flour with a fork.
To season the crabs, dunk them in the wine, shake of any excess and dredge them in the seasoned flour, again shaking of the excess. Save the wine and discard the flour.
Place the crabs in the hot oil using tongs. Cook in two batches of 3. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes then flip over and cook the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish lined with paper towels. As soon as the crabs come out of the oil sprinkle them with a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of the remaining Old Bay seasoning. Tent the dish lightly (do not crimp) with foil to keep warm until the burgers have finished.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking 1 minute. Deglaze with the leftover wine and reduce about a minute. Add the clamato, worcestershire and continue reducing 6 minutes. Reduce to about 1 cup, remove from heat and stir in the horseradish and remaining Old Bay seasoning. Add the cubed bread and stir so the bread can absorb the reduction. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes in a large mixing bowl.
To make the patties, take the meat and place it on a flat surface. Add the cooled shallot mixture to the top and poke it into the meat using your fingers. Return the meat to the mixing bowl and gently fold the meat over itself once or twice. Make 6 evenly portioned patties from the meat, being careful not to compress the meat while forming the patties.
Preheat the grill to medium high heat. When the grate is hot, clean with a wire brush and brush the grate with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the patties directly over medium high heat and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes rotate the burgers 45 degrees and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Flip the burgers over and top them with tablespoon of remoulade sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, rotate 45 degrees, then cook them for another 2 minutes. Remove the burgers from heat, place in a baking dish and cover the dish with foil.
Adjust the grill heat to medium and add the rolls to the grill cut side down. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes until nice and golden brown. Flip the buns over and toast for another 2 to 3 minutes. When they are done place them on a flat surface and tent them with aluminum foil.
Keep the grill on medium and place the pan fried crabs over direct heat. Allow to heat through for about 1 minute on each side, two minutes total. Turn the grill off if you using gas or remove the crabs if you are using charcoal.
Chop off the white part of the frisee. Give the green part a couple of rough chops.
To assemble the burgers, take a bottom roll and spread a tablespoon of remoulade on it. Top this with a few leaves of frisee and add a burger patty with the remoulade side up. Top this with a few leaves on frisee. Top the Frisee with a couple more tablespoons of remoulade followed by the one of the pan fried soft shell crabs. Take the top part of the bun and spread another a couple of teaspoons remoulade on it then place the top of the bun on the crab.
Serves 6