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French in a Flash: Soft-Shell Crab Meunière
Sole Meunière is one of the giants of deliciousness in French cuisine. I think it's the dish that Meryl Streep moons over rapturously in Julie & Julia. And for good reason. Thin, slightly crisped fillets of sole soaked in lemony brown butter. What could be better?
Maybe, just maybe, soft-shell crabs can. When I saw them at the store this week and thought of how my mom always sautés them up in butter, I wonder if I couldn't hybrid the two and prepare the crabs à la Meunière: plunged in milk, lightly dredged in flour, seared, and then bathed in that brown butter with just a hint of lemon. Nothing goes better with seafood than melted butter. Lemon brown butter is just that bit more special.
I think I might finally have maman trumped!
About the author: Kerry Saretsky is the creator of French Revolution Food, where she reinvents her family's classic French recipes in a fresh, chic, modern way.
About This Recipe
| Yield: | serves 2 to 4 |
| Active time: | 10 minutes |
| Total time: | 10 minutes |
Ingredients
- 4 jumbo soft-shell crabs, prepared by your fishmonger
- 1/2 cup milk
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 5/8-inch slice of lemon
- Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Procedures
-
1
Place the crabs in a bowl of milk. Season the flour with the salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour.
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2
In a wide skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Place the other two tablespoons of butter in a small saucepot over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, and then continue to gently cook it until the butter solids turn golden brown. Add in the lemon slice and remove from the heat.
-
3
Place the crabs in the skillet with the butter and sauté until golden brown, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Arrange on a platter, and pour the lemony butter sauce over the crabs. Garnish with parsley and/or extra lemon wedges.
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