Editing Soft-shell crab

{{Short description|Culinary term for molted crabs}}
[[File:Soft-shell crab on ice.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Soft-shelled [[Callinectes sapidus|blue crabs]] in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana]]
[[File:Softshell crab are- in-season.jpg|thumb|Three soft-shell crabs, ready for preparation, and cooking]]
'''Soft-shell crab''' is a [[culinary]] term for [[Crab meat|crab]]s that have recently [[ecdysis|molted]] their old [[exoskeleton]] and are still soft.<ref>{{cite book |author=CiCi Williamson, Garry Pound & Willard Scott |year=2008 |title=The Best of Virginia Farms Cookbook and Tour Book: Recipes, People, Places |publisher=[[Menasha Ridge Press]] |isbn=978-0-89732-657-5 |chapter=Shellfish and fish |pages=60–87 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pnuFW6zT0T8C&pg=PA63}}</ref> Soft-shells are removed from the water as soon as they molt or, preferably, just before to prevent any hardening of their shell.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Thompson|first1=Fred|title=Crazy for Crab: Every Thing You Need to Know to Enjoy Fabulous Crab at Home|date=2010|publisher=ReadHowYouWant.com|isbn=978-1-45876-388-4|page=7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tebVnrkiLvoC|access-date=15 January 2015}}</ref> Catching soft-shell crab is very time-sensitive and requires that any caught crabs be kept in climate-controlled areas immediately after catching until they molt, at which point they can be safely removed and sold.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Manton|first=Keegan|date=12 November 2021|title=Soft-Shell Crab {{!}} Can You Really Eat The Whole Thing?|url=https://alifeofmastery.com/soft-shell-crab/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117105921/https://alifeofmastery.com/soft-shell-crab/|archive-date=17 November 2021|access-date=17 November 2021|website=A Life of Mastery}}</ref>

This means that almost the entire animal can be eaten, rather than having to shell the animal to reach the meat.<ref name="Mouritsen" /> The exceptions are the [[arthropod mouthparts|mouthparts]], the [[gill]]s and the [[abdomen|abdominal cover]], which are discarded ("cleaned").<ref>{{cite book |author=Tracy Barr |year=2011 |title=Cast Iron Cooking For Dummies |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]] |isbn=9781118053188 |chapter=Soft-shell crabs |pages=137–138 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1w7nI_KRoX4C&pg=PT137}}</ref> The remaining, edible part of the crab is typically [[deep frying|deep-fried]] or [[Sautéing|sautéed]].<ref name="Mouritsen" />

==Regional cuisine==
[[File:Soft shell crab (3196520484).jpg|thumb|Fried soft-shell crab]]
In the [[United States]], the main species is the  blue crab, ''[[Callinectes sapidus]]'', which appears in markets from April to September.<ref>{{cite book |author=Delilah Winder & Jennifer Lindner McGlinn |year=2006 |title=Delilah's Everyday Soul: Southern Cooking with Style |publisher=[[Running Press]]|isbn=9780762426010 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lhyS9nigr00C&pg=PA111}}</ref>

In the Deep South region of the United States, most notably the Gulf coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, "Buster crab" can be a synonym for a plump, meaty soft-shell crab. ("[[Buster Crabbe]]" was a famous movie star, known for playing Flash Gordon). However, the original meaning of Buster crab referred to either a soft-shell that had yet to complete molting, or to a soft-shell that had died before being provided to a seafood vendor, and was then consumed quickly by the crabbers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thefoodalmanac.com/joomla1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2110:soft-shell-crabs&catid=275:shellfish-guide|title=Soft-Shell Crabs|last=Fitzmorris|first=Tom|website=thefoodalmanac.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluecrab.info/glossary.html|title=BLUECRAB.INFO - Blue Crab Glossary of Terms|website=www.bluecrab.info|access-date=2018-08-12}}</ref>

In [[Japan]], various species are used to make [[sushi]] such as ''maki-zushi'' or ''temaki-zushi''.<ref name="Mouritsen">{{cite book |author=Ole G. Mouritsen |year=2009 |title=Sushi: Food for the Eye, the Body and the Soul |publisher=[[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] |isbn=978-1-4419-0617-5 |chapter=Sushi à la carte |pages=202–250 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RJxuV-0eT4UC&pg=PA226}}</ref> The Japanese blue crab (''[[Portunus trituberculatus]]'') or the shore swimming crab (''[[Charybdis japonica]]'') are typically used.{{cn|date=August 2023}} 

In [[Spain]], soft-shell crustaceans are typical in the coastal region of [[Andalusia]]. Irrespective of the species, they are called ''chiguatos'', from the local slang verb ''achiguatar'', meaning ''to soften''. Typical preparations include [[velvet crab]]s (''Necora puber'') and [[langoustines]] (''Nephrops norvegicus''), which are highly regarded delicacies of [[Sanlucar de Barrameda]],<ref>García Rodríguez J.C.“La cocina sanluqueña y sus mejores recetas “, Sanlúcar de Bda., 2000</ref> and [[European lobster|lobster]] (''Homarus gammarus'') (called ''langosta chiguata''), which is typical along the coast of [[Málaga]]. Typically, they are deep-fried and served with a [[vinaigrette]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/08/20/gastronotas_de_capel/1566325404_646145.html 
|title= Los Marinos José, el éxito de la sencillez|publisher=El País|access-date= August 21, 2019 |df=}}
</ref>

In [[Italy]], the soft-shell of the common [[Carcinus aestuarii|Mediterranean crab]] is a delicacy typical of the [[Venetian lagoon]] (called ''moeca''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parcoalimentare.ve.it/dati/prodotti/tradizionali/en/ittici/moeca.htm |title=Moeca (soft-shell crab) |publisher=Parco Alimentare Venezia Orientale |access-date=January 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722065033/http://www.parcoalimentare.ve.it/dati/prodotti/tradizionali/en/ittici/moeca.htm |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |df= }}</ref><ref name="Cain-2022">{{cite web | access-date=2022-10-14 | year=2022 | last=Cain | first=Jacqueline | title=At Moëca, a Talented Cambridge Restaurant Team Takes on Seafood | website=[[Boston Magazine]] | url=https://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/2022/08/05/first-look-moeca-cambridge/}}</ref> or ''moeche''<ref name="Bianchi-2016">{{cite web | access-date=2022-10-14 | year=2016 | last=Bianchi | first=Alessandro | title=Fishing for crabs: Venice's culinary Moeche delicacy | website=[[Reuters]] | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-crabs-idUSKCN0YI1LM}}</ref> in the local idiom).

Soft-shell crabs can have the soft organs along the dorsal cavity removed during cleaning, or they can be left in for consumption. In the latter case, along the US Atlantic coast, the customer asks the vendor to leave "the mustard", referring to the yellow-orange color of the [[Tomalley|hepatopancreas]], and the deep orange of the roe in a female crab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chesapeakequarterly.net/V11N2/side4/|title=Chesapeake Quarterly Volume 11 Number 2: Glossary of Blue Crab Biology|last=Grant|first=Maryland Sea|website=www.chesapeakequarterly.net|access-date=2018-08-12}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" widths="150px" heights="150px">
File:St Johns Tavern, Archway, London (6014211118).jpg
File:Ultimate Seafood Platter at Landry's Seafood House.jpg
File:Soft shell crab.jpg
File:Soft Shelled Crab on Noodle Soup.jpg
File:Softshell crab, sweet corn, bacon, buttermilk, tomato - Coquette New Orleans.jpg
File:Soft shell crab at the Pacific Fair, Gold Coast, Queensland.jpg
File:Soft Shelled Crab on Sushi Rice - Arintji (69449046).jpg
File:Spider hand roll.jpg|In ''[[temaki]]''
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of crab dishes]]
* [[List of seafood dishes]]
* {{portal-inline|Food}}

==References==
{{Commons}}
{{Reflist|32em}}

{{Edible crustaceans}}

[[Category:Crab dishes]]
[[Category:Edible crustaceans]]
[[Category:Commercial crustaceans]]