Master Recipe

Pan-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs

NOTE: A splatter screen (see figure 26) is essential if you want to minimize the mess and the danger to your arms and face. For maximum crispness, you should cook the crabs in two pans, each covered with a splatter screen, so you can serve the crabs as soon as they are cooked. If you are working with just one splatter screen and pan, cook four crabs in four tablespoons of butter, transfer them to a platter in a 300-degree oven, wipe out the pan, add 4 more tablespoons of butter, and cook the remaining crabs. Serves four as a main course, eight as an appetizer.

  8    medium-to-large soft-shell crabs, cleaned (see figures 23 through 25) and patted dry with paper towels

     All-purpose flour for dredging

     10 tablespoons unsalted butter

  ¹/₄    cup lemon juice

  2    tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

     Ground black pepper