SAUTÉED SOFT SHELL CRABS

SERVES 4

I have always loved soft shell crabs but never attempted to make them myself, mainly because I can't get them live. Even if I could, I am not sure I could kill them. It's much easier to put live hard shell crabs in a pot of boiling water. Anyhow, I finally purchased flash-frozen crabs from a very reputable company. They are cleaned and ready to cook. All you have to is defrost them. It's worth it, and makes a great special occasion dinner.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

12 small frozen soft shell crabs (about 2 x 5-inches each), thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Lemon juice

Remoulade (optional garnish)

On a piece of waxed paper or paper plate, mix together the flour, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper. Pat the crabs dry with a paper towel. Coat with the flour mixture and remove excess. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crabs, in batches if necessary, and sauté until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. (Soft shell crabs contain a lot of moisture and might "spit" while browning, so be careful.) Drizzle each crab with a little lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately, with the remoulade on the side.

Note: If your are lucky enough to have leftovers, they make a great sandwich.

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