Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 120 ml milk
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 ml tabasco sauce
- 12 soft-shell crab, cleaned
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml olive oil
- 15 g shallot, finely chopped
- 120 g almonds, sliced
- 30 ml lemon juice, fresh
- 30 g parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a shallow dish, whisk together 120ml milk, salt, pepper, and 1ml Tabasco sauce until combined.
Add the 12 cleaned crabs to the milk mixture and turn them to ensure they are evenly coated.
Place 180g flour in a separate shallow dish. Remove crabs from the milk, allow the excess to drip off, and dredge them in the flour, shaking off any extra.
Heat 30ml of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Place 6 crabs in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes per side until the coating is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F).
Transfer the cooked crabs to a warm platter. Add the remaining 30ml of vegetable oil to the skillet and repeat the frying process with the remaining 6 crabs.
Discard the used oil from the skillet and wipe the surface clean with paper towels.
Add 30g butter and 30ml olive oil to the clean skillet over medium heat. Add 15g chopped shallots and 120g sliced almonds.
Cook while shaking the pan until the almonds are lightly browned and the butter is bubbling.
Stir in 30ml lemon juice, then pour the hot almond butter sauce over the crabs on the platter.
Garnish the dish with 30g of finely chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure crabs are patted dry before the milk bath if they are very wet to help the coating adhere.
- Use a high-quality butter as it forms the base of the final sauce flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best consumed immediately; coating will lose crispness.
Reheating: Reheat in a 190°C (375°F) oven until crisp.
