Cracked Crab with Lemongrass, Black Pepper, and Basil

Cracked Crab with Lemongrass, Black Pepper, and Basil

Yield:

 

Serves 4

Total time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Ingredients

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, ends trimmed and coarse leaves discarded

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup honey 

1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 

1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 

3 fully cooked Dungeness crabs (about 2 lbs. each), cleaned, legs cracked, and bodies quartered

3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil 

1 cup loosely packed cilantro sprigs

1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves or small regular basil leaves

Preparation

1. Chop lemongrass. Put in a food processor with ginger and garlic; whirl until minced. Scrape into a large bowl and stir in honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Add crabs and stir to coat well. Cover, then chill at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Pour oil into a 14-in. wok or a wide 8- to 10-qt. pot over medium-high heat. With a slotted spoon, add crabs (reserve marinade). Cover and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes (omit this cooking time if using fully cooked crabs).

3. Uncover pan, add marinade, and cook, stirring often, until crabs are steaming and meat is opaque, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in cilantro and basil, then transfer crabs and juices to a serving bowl.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.