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DEL.ICIO.USKing Crab Legs, Like Snails - from John Kessler
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When I cook birthday dinners at home, I usually get the same request, for king crab legs. The tradition started with my middle daughter, who found that king crab was just like the faux-crab surimi she learned to eat in sushi bars but much, much better. After a couple of years, I tried to expand her palate to crab cakes made with fresh jumbo lump crab that came from more local waters. No dice. She liked the ritual of shell cracking and butter dipping. -- John Kessler
Hands on time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Serves: 6
Ingredients:
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1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 pounds (usually 8 to 10 pieces) king crab legs, thawed
Instructions:
In a food processor, combine the soft butter, lemon juice, parsley and garlic. If using unsalted butter, add a large pinch of salt. Season with pepper. Process until smooth and as green as St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Scrape into a small bowl.
Rinse the crab legs in water to remove any ice. Dry thoroughly. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut each crab leg one by one with a heavy knife or cleaver. First cut off the body cluster and then snip off any bits of cartilage covering the side with exposed flesh. Place on the baking sheet. Cut the legs into 3-inch segments; it’s fine if a segment contains a joint. Cut off and discard the tapering tips. With a pair of kitchen shears, cut off the white undersides of the shell. (The red-colored shell should cup the sides of each segment.) Cutting the shell is a little tricky around the joints, but you’ll catch on quickly. Remove any strips of cartilage with the shell. Place the crab segments, shells down, on the baking sheet. Smear a teaspoon or so of butter on top of each piece of crab.(You can cover and refrigerate the crab until ready to serve.)
Place an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler. Preheat broiler; broil about 6 minutes, or until butter starts to sizzle and crab is heated through. Place on a platter and pour juices from the pan over the top.
Rinse the crab legs in water to remove any ice. Dry thoroughly. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut each crab leg one by one with a heavy knife or cleaver. First cut off the body cluster and then snip off any bits of cartilage covering the side with exposed flesh. Place on the baking sheet. Cut the legs into 3-inch segments; it’s fine if a segment contains a joint. Cut off and discard the tapering tips. With a pair of kitchen shears, cut off the white undersides of the shell. (The red-colored shell should cup the sides of each segment.) Cutting the shell is a little tricky around the joints, but you’ll catch on quickly. Remove any strips of cartilage with the shell. Place the crab segments, shells down, on the baking sheet. Smear a teaspoon or so of butter on top of each piece of crab.(You can cover and refrigerate the crab until ready to serve.)
Place an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler. Preheat broiler; broil about 6 minutes, or until butter starts to sizzle and crab is heated through. Place on a platter and pour juices from the pan over the top.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 330 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 42 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 17 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 137 milligrams cholesterol, 535 milligrams sodium.
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