Soft shell crab season is half way over and we can’t believe that we haven’t paid proper tribute to this much-anticipated D.C. delicacy. Now we love our deep-fried crustaceans just as much as the next person, but as with everything we had to put a little spin on the ordinary. We did stick to the sandwich concept, because not only have we not featured soft shell crabs but we’ve yet to do up a sandwich recipe. Instead of frying these delicate little critters, we gave them a nice little sauté and in lieu of lettuce, tomato, and some sort of aioli we did fresh spinach, peach slices and roasted peppers with balsamic.

Before getting started, here are just a few things to know about soft shell crabs. Fishermen harvest the crabs as they begin to molt and hold them in tanks to monitor them. As soon as they shed their shell they are ready for consumption. The crabs can be found live, fresh or frozen. Although frozen soft shells can be found year-round, we think it’s best to buy them live and keep them that way until right before cooking. The most commonly found type, especially in this area, is the Blue Crab. Their season runs, roughly, from May to July/August. Because the demand for this unique product has increased drastically, we are beginning to see the Asian Mangrove crab. This type of crab typically grows in tropical, muddy flats all year, which makes them a continual source. But for the sake of keeping it fresh and local we prefer our once a year blue crabs. The anticipation is what makes them that much more enticing!

We served our sandwich on Portuguese rolls, but your starch preference is your prerogative. On the side we just served up some grapes on the vine, as we did not want to take the attention away from the matter at hand. This recipe makes 2 sandwiches.