Show Me Your Skillet: Rolonda Watts’ Savory Soft-Shell Crab

Spark Hamptons’ “Show Me Your Skillet” spotlights chefs, celebrities, and home cooks sharing recipes with personality.

Rolonda Watts wears many hats — actress, journalist, talk show host, voiceover coach, comedian. She also rules the kitchen.

This summer, she put most Hamptons restaurants to shame with her fried soft-shell crab recipe, shared exclusively with Spark Hamptons. Well, sort of shared.

“Girl, you are talking to a Southern cook,” Watts said. “We don’t have recipes. It’s all about what you feel. That’s why they call it soul food.”

Here’s how she does it:

Ingredients

• 4–6 soft-shell crabs (Watts used Citarella in Bridgehampton)
• Flour
• Egg
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Lemon
• Seasoned bread crumbs (optional)
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Old Bay seasoning
• Smoked paprika or Cajun seasoning
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Clean the crabs. Have them cleaned at the fish market, or do it yourself: cut off the face and apron (tail flap) with a scissors and remove the lungs/gills.
2. Season the flour. Mix flour with salt, pepper, and optional spices: garlic, onion, smoked paprika or Cajun seasoning.
3. Dredge. Dip each crab in an egg bath, then coat lightly in the seasoned flour, and then in the seasons Italian breadcrumbs.
4. Fry. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet (cast iron preferred). Cook 3–5 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top. Pair with salad or pasta. Or try a lemon-butter garlic sauce with capers. You can also make a crab sandwich with your favorite bun if you like!

Watch the video to see Watts in action.

Got a great recipe for “Show Me Your Skillet”? Submit it to info@sparkhamptons.com — you might see it featured in Spark Hamptons.