Name: Pan Fried Soft Shell Crab W/ Vanilla-Saffron Couscous & An Old Bay Aioli
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Crab batter; 1/2 c all purpose flour; 1/2 c corn starch; 1 egg; Salt; Couscous; 1/2 vanilla bean; 6-8 threads of saffron; 2 cups water or chicken broth; 1 cup Israeli couscous; 1 tsp olive oil; Salt; Old Bay Aioli; 1 c mayonnaise; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar; 1-2 tsp Old Bay; Splash of worcester sauce

1
Couscous, bring all ingredients except couscous to a boil, stir in couscous. Let boil 2 mins, reduce heat to a low simmer for 6-8 mins. Finish by fluffing with fork, season with salt and butter if you like. Keep warm.
2
Aioli..place all ingredients in a bowl a stir together completely. Keep aside.
3
Stir egg in a bowl by itself, add salt, then add the crab and coat thoroughly, let sit 2 mins. Mix together flour and cornstarch in separate bowl.
4
At this time heat up your pan to a medium high heat. Now drip off excess egg and coat in the flour mixture. I like to really coat mine good to get a really nice texture. Add oil to coat bottom of pan, add crab top side down and cover with a lid but leave some room, don't put on completely. Cook for a good 5-6 mins moving in pan very few times, then finally flipping it over and doing the same thing. After the cooking time on the bottom, I add a bit of butter to my pan and flip it back topside down to brown it up real nice.
5
Assemble a pile of couscous on your plate, top with your crab, and finish with your Aioli, enjoy!

Pan Fried Soft Shell Crab W/ Vanilla-Saffron Couscous & An Old Bay Aioli

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