Crab Fat Ceasar Salad with Fried Softshell Crab Bites and Shrimp Toast Croutons

Chef Logan Boudreaux
Ingredients

Crab Fat Ceasar Salad
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
½ cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
1 teaspoon minced anchovy filets
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan Reggiano
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
Dash Anchovy Oil
1 large lemon, juiced
1 ½  tablespoons crab roe, minced
4 heads little gem lettuce or 2 heads romaine, chopped
Extra Parmesan for garnish
Cured Egg Yolk for garnish
 
Fried Softshell Crab Lumps
2 jumbo softshell crabs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 whole large egg
1 cup milk
½ cup water 
2 cups panko bread crumbs ground fine
1 cup corn flour
¼ cup Parmesan Reggiano  
½ teaspoon kosher salt
 
Shrimp Toast Croutons
4 slices white bread
 
2 cups peeled and deveined shrimp
 
½ teaspoon salt
 
1 teaspoon minced garlic 
 
1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
 
Tuxedo sesame seeds (white and black)

Directions

Crab Fat Ceasar Salad
In a wooden bowl, combine black pepper, minced anchovy filets, garlic, crab fat, and Dijon mustard. With two forks, crush ingredients together into a paste to meld flavors together. Add egg yolks and continue to crush and stir ingredients until emulsified or homogenized. Add sherry vinegar, lemon, Worcestershire, Parmesan Reggiano, and Pecorino Romano, and stir. Stream in olive oil slowly while stirring with forks to emulsify.  Slowly streaming oil while stirring is key to creating an emulsified dressing. Dip leaves of lettuce into dressing or toss cut greens to serve. Grate extra cheese and cured egg yolk over salad for presenting.
 
Fried Softshell Crab Lumps
Dry crab well. Combine corn flour, panko, salt, and parmesan. Whisk to combine one large egg, milk, and water. Dredge crab pieces in flour, then egg mixture, and finally panko bread crumb mixture. Flash fry crabs in deep fryer set to 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
 
Shrimp Toast Croutons
In a food processor, combine shrimp, salt, garlic, and hot sauce. Pulse mixture until a smooth paste forms. Spread mixture generously over slices of white bread until all shrimp paste is used. Top bread slices with sesame seeds and deep fry at 350 degrees, flipping slices often, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Cut into portions and garnish salad.

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