Blue Crab Recipes

Pan Fried Soft Shell Blue Crabs

(with Lemon, Capers, & Herbs)

8 medium-to-large Maryland soft crabs, cleaned, and
patted dry with paper towels,
all purpose flour for dredging
10 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon juice from lemon
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon drained tiny capers, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 scallion, minced
ground black pepper

Dredge crabs in flour. Pat off excess. Heat two 11- or 12- inch heavy-bottomed frying pans over medium-high heat until
pans are quite hot, about 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to each pan, swirling pans to keep butter from burning
as it melts. When the foam subsides, turn heat to high and add four crabs, skins down, to each pan. Cover each pan with a splatter screen and cook adjusting heat as necessary to keep butter from burning, until crabs turn reddish brown, about 3 minutes. Turn crabs with a spatula or tongs and cook until second side is browned, about 3 minutes. Drain crabs on paper towel-lined plate.

Set one pan aside. Pour off butter from other pan and remove from heat. Add all remaining ingredients (including
remaining 2 tablespoons butter and pepper to taste) to this still-warm pan. Swirl pan to melt butter. Arrange two crabs on
each of four plates. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce over each plate of crabs and serve immediately. The pan sauce is tart and powerfully flavored. You only need about one tablespoon per serving.

http://www.marylandseafood.org

Also:
• Crab Cobb Salad
• Maryland Blue Crab Cake Panini
• Maryland Blue Crab File Okra Gumbo

• Buy Maryland Blue Crabs online

• Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Portunidae
Genus: Callinectes
Species: C. sapidus

Also see:
• Maryland blue crab
• Soft Shell blue crabs