Soft-Shelled Crabs

By á-25087

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 small (4-inch-wide) live soft-shelled crabs, cleaned
• 1 cup Wondra or all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoonsClarified Butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Combine milk, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and soak crabs 5 minutes. Lift 1 crab out of milk, letting excess drip off, and dredge in flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a tray. Repeat with remaining crabs, arranging them in 1 layer as coated.

Heat clarified butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté crabs, upside down, 2 minutes. Turn over and sauté until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more.

Transfer crabs to a serving dish. Add butter pieces to skillet and cook until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Add lemon juice and parsley (mixture will bubble up) and remove from heat.

Season sauce with salt and pepper and drizzle over crabs.