Hello there.. allow me to tell you a little bit about myself.
When I was seven years old and my dad argued with the waitress to let me order the duck ala orange, my career path was laid out. I became a chef. Now that another Memorial Day has come and gone and the summer season is upon us Cape May is emerging from its winter hibernation and the town is alive. The restaurants around the Southern Shore will be bustling with hungry patrons and I can look forward to long days in a hot kitchen.
The question I am most frequently asked is “Why did I become a chef?” With twelve hour days in a 100 degree kitchen, tempers more than occasionally flaring and sharp knives lying around, I ask that question of myself often. The answer I always come back to is simple. The FOOD. I love food. I love to cook food, I think about food and I talk about food. When I see a cow in the field and the first thing that pops into my mind is “man a juicy medium rare filet with crispy fingerling potatoes tossed with baby Arugula caramelized shallots and Cabernet demi-glace would be great on the next menu” – I know I made the right career choice. My passion for food in all its forms is why I’m a chef. And Cape May, with its excellent variety of restaurants and the abundance of local ingredients, make it a great place to be a chef.
As June begins, a chef’s mouth waters as the local seafood starts coming into the kitchen. The one seafood I crave above all is the soft-shell crab. Maybe there is a revenge factor for the crab that bit my toes when I was younger. But a crispy, crunchy yet oh so sweet NJ soft-shell is a treat to savor. The variety of ways I serve soft-shells is always changing from lightly sautéed in butter, shallots and white wine or in a light and crispy tempura batter with fresh Napa cabbage turned into an Asian style coleslaw and drizzled with sweet and spicy Thai Chili Sauce.
And the Persnickety Chef’s has chosen two wines as possible accompaniments to the recipe.
Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. Gewurztraminer comes from the German word “gewurz” meaning “spicy.” This is a white wine – as is the Sauvignon Blanc – “blanc” meaning white – known for its crisp, spicy characteristics. It is a specialty of the French region Alsace which borders France and Germany. Choose a drier version to accompany fish and poultry.
The possibilities with food are limitless. Never feel constrained by a recipe to try something different. Always be willing whether cooking or eating to try something different.
Tempura Soft Shell Crabs with Asian Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 2 Jumbo Soft Sell Crabs cleaned
Asian Slaw:
- ½ head Napa cabbage julienned
- 1 red pepper seeded and julienned
- 1 Gold pepper seeded and julienned
- 1 Carrot peeled and julienned
- 2 ea Green onions chopped
- Mix all vegetables together in bowl.
Slaw Dressing:
- ½ cup Sweet Soy
- ¼ cup Regular Soy
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha Hot Pepper Sauce
- 4 TBSP Sesame Oil
- ¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro leaves
- Slaw preparation:
- Mix all ingredients together pour over vegetables.
Tempura Batter:
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ cups cornstarch
- 2 cups ice water
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- salt
Instructions
- Put ice water into bowl, sift dry ingredients in water. Lightly mix batter.
- Dip crabs into batter, deep fry in 365˚F oil for approximately 2 minutes.
- Place soft shells on top of Asian slaw (see recipe below).
- Drizzle the plate with Thai sweet chili sauce.
- Enjoy!
