Grilled soft-shell crabs recipe

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 1½ cups peanut or other neutral-flavored oil

• 4 soft-shell crabs
• 1 bunch of pencil or standard asparagus, tough bottom stems removed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 spring onions, julienned
• 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons big fat finishing oil

For the Aioli
1. Combine the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, and a sprinkle of salt in the bowl of a food processor and purée until the mixture is homogeneous. Then, with the machine running, very slowly drizzle in the oil until it begins to thicken.
2. When the mixture starts to look like mayonnaise, add the oil in a thin, slow stream. Check the aïoli for texture and flavor: If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it; or on the flip side if it’s too thin, add more oil. (This will make more than you need for this dish, so refrigerate the rest and use it on other good stuff, like these chickpea fries.
For the Crabs and Salad
3. Preheat the grill.
4. Clean the crabs by lifting up the outer shell on each side and pulling out the gills. Then pull the “apron” flap off the bottom of the crab. Using a sharp pair of scissors or kitchen shears, cut off the face and all the pointy parts of the shell. (I know this may seem mean; accept it and move on.) Pat the crabs with paper towels to remove all excess water.
5. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt. Rub the crabs with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Put the asparagus on the grill and cook, turning it occasionally, until charred and pliable, 7 to 8 minutes. Then put the crabs on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until firm. Remove the asparagus and crabs when done and set aside.
6. In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, spring onions, vinegar, and big fat finishing oil; season with salt and taste to make sure it’s delicious.
7. Divide the dressed salad and asparagus between serving plates, top each with a soft-shell crab, and garnish each crab with a dollop of the delightful aïoli.