Fried Soft-Shell Crabs With A Shellfish Ragu Recipe

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• 8 soft-shell crabs cleaned, and rinsed gently under cold running water
• 4 tablespoons Essence plus
• 1 teaspoon Essence plus
• more for sprinkling (see Bayou Blast recipe)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour or more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 1/2 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined
• 3/4 cup shrimp or seafood stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound cooked crawfish tails peeled, and seasoned with Essence
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Snipped chives