Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Makes 2 (main-course) servings.

INGREDIENTS

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

    DIRECTIONS

    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 atray. 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.

    Cooks’ note:


    •If the crabs you get are larger and don’t fit 4 to the skillet, cook them in batches using more clarified butter.