Crispy beer-battered softshell crabs in a classic Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. Served on toasted rolls with fried onion mayo, butter, avocado, herbs, cucumber, jalapeños, and tangy pickled carrot and daikon, it’s a crunchy, creamy, spicy-sweet sandwich. 

I think I've run across a total of two softshell crabs in all of my crabbing forays, and they were definitely cause for celebration. Otherwise, I'm buying these delicacies when they're in season from the late spring through late summer and frying them up in a light batter (though they can be grilled, too).

Once you've got the softies sourced, the next hurdle is finding a real Vietnamese baguette, crunchy on the outside and impossibly light on the inside. You can even mail order these things, and it's worth it. They'll freeze very well; just pop them in a hot oven to bring them back. You might find yourself making all sandwiches on this bread.

To clean softshells, peel back the top shell, exposing the feathery, greyish gills, but leave the top shell intact. Remove these gills and discard. Cut off the eyes and "face" with a pair of kitchen shears. You're now good to go; the rest of the crab is completely edible.

Serves 4

4 softshell crabs, cleaned

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

12 ounces beer

Salt

Fat or oil for frying

4 banh mi rolls, split

4 Vietnamese baguettes, split

Mayonnaise (Fried Onion Mayonnaise or store bought)

1 jalapeño pepper, sliced thinly lengthwise

A handful of fresh cilantro

A few thin slices of cucumber

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Pickled Carrot and Daikon

Heat a fryer to 375°F. Dredge the crabs in the flour and set aside.

Mix together the remaining flour, baking powder, sugar and beer and stir until just combined.

Dip each softshell into the batter and allow any excess to drain off. Fry the crabs, in batches if necessary, until crisp and golden, about 4-5 minutes. Drain very well on paper towels or a wire rack.

Split the banh mi rolls, then apply a very generous amount of mayonnaise to both interior sides. Add the fried crabs, then the avocado, fresh herbs, jalapeño, cucumber and pickles. Serve immediately.