Recipe

Florida Stone Crab Claws with Cuban Mojo and Tostones

Name: Florida Stone Crab Claws with Cuban Mojo and Tostones
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1.2 kg Florida stone crab claws, already cooked and refrigerated; 3 green plantains; 1 l neutral oil for frying (not all is consumed); Salt to taste; 2 limes cut into wedges, for serving; 60 ml olive oil; 80 ml sour orange juice; 2 small garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional); 1 pinch ground cumin; Salt and black pepper to taste

Florida stone crab claws served cold with sour orange mojo and crispy tostones: a festive appetizer with Cuban flavor.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation35 min
Cooking25 min
Total time1 h
Servings4 servings (abundant appetizer)
DifficultyMedium

Stone crab is what they call stone crab in Florida. Only its claws are used, which are sold already cooked and refrigerated, with white, firm, sweet meat that needs almost nothing. In Miami, the classic way to eat them is cold with a mustard sauce. Here we propose an adaptation with Cuban mojo, not the traditional recipe: the sour orange and garlic mojo is perfect, and freshly fried tostones complete the table.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the regular stone crab season runs from October 15 to May 1. November and December are a good time to put them on the end-of-year table, although what is available in each fishmonger's depends on the season and the day, so ask beforehand.

It is an abundant appetizer for 4 people. It serves as a special lunch, a family gathering, or for snacking before Christmas Eve dinner.

Method

Mojo

Keep the claws in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest. Do not heat or reheat them: they come already cooked.
Crush the garlic with salt until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and add the sour orange juice, cumin, and pepper. Pour the olive oil in a thin stream while whisking with a fork until the mojo is emulsified and slightly cloudy. Incorporate the cilantro if using it.
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Cover the mojo and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Whisk it again just before serving.

Claws

Take the claws out of the refrigerator. Wrap each one in a clean cloth and carefully crack the shell, hitting the center of each segment with a crab mallet or the back of a heavy spoon. Remove loose shell fragments without breaking the meat, leave the meat in place, and return the covered claws to the refrigerator until serving.
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Tostones

Cut off the ends of the plantains, make two or three lengthwise cuts along the skin, and peel it off with your finger or the tip of a knife. Cut the plantains into thick slices about 3 cm long and dry them well with paper towels.
Heat the oil in a deep pot, at least 4 cm deep, to 160-165 °C. Fry the slices in batches, without crowding them, for 4-5 minutes depending on thickness, until tender inside but still pale. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Place each slice between two sheets of paper towel and flatten it with the flat bottom of a heavy plate until about 1 cm thick. Do not wet them in water.
Raise the oil temperature to 180 °C. Fry the flattened plantains in batches for about 2 minutes, until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately while still hot.
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To Serve

Place the cold claws on a platter, with the freshly fried tostones on the side, the mojo in its separate bowl, and the lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Tips and variations

Storage: claws are perishable seafood. Keep them in the refrigerator between 0 and 4 °C from the moment you buy them and open them as close to serving time as possible. Prepare this recipe to eat immediately. Do not leave them out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the ambient temperature exceeds 32 °C. Keep the claws cold separate from the hot tostones until serving.

Do not reheat: this recipe uses claws that come already cooked and are served cold. Prolonged heating can toughen the meat.

Mojo: if you cannot find sour orange, use 40 ml of sweet orange juice and 40 ml of lime juice. Cilantro is optional. Keep any mojo that has not touched seafood or used utensils in a clean, covered container in the refrigerator, and consume it within 2 or 3 days.

Tostones: dry them well before frying and do not wet them in water before the second frying to avoid splatters. Fry them at the last moment. The liter of oil indicated is the approximate amount needed for frying, not the amount consumed.

Variation: you can place a bowl of mustard sauce on the side as an alternative to the mojo.