Soft-shell crabs are at their freshest

The first time I ever tasted soft-shell crab was on an early summer night at The Grill on the Alley in Los Angeles. The sweet, yet mildly briny, flavor and soft-textured crab was unique and memorable.

The restaurant has been buying its crab from the same purveyor since it opened. The quality of the catch is paramount, and I recommend buying from a specialist fishmonger to get the freshest crabs.

What is a soft-shell crab? It's an ordinary blue crab that has shed its hard outer shell during the normal process of seasonal growth. The crabs have an entirely different taste when they are in this state, and the delicate soft shells add a nice crunch. The peak of the soft-shell crab season is in July and August.

Make sure the crabs are fresh and, if possible, that they come from Maryland. You'll find soft-shell crabs in different sizes. Look for the crabs to be at least 2 ¹⁄₂ ounces to 3 ounces. If you can find jumbo ones (4 ounces), that is even better. If you can't find the jumbo size, just cook a few more.

Diane Rossen Worthington is a cookbook author and a James Beard award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.

Soft-Shell Crab With Lemon Butter

4 jumbo soft-shell crabs (4 ounces each)

For the buttermilk wash:

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

For the coating:

¹⁄₃ cup flour

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Pinch salt

¹⁄₈ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¹⁄₈ teaspoon paprika

For the crabs:

¹⁄₄ cup vegetable oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, finely chopped

¹⁄₄ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the garnish:

1 lemon, sliced

Parsley sprigs

If the crabs are not cleaned, remove the feelers underneath the shells on both sides. Wash the crabs and dry carefully.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a shallow container and whisk to combine.

Combine the flour, pepper, salt, cayenne and paprika in a shallow medium dish; mix well.

Place the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.

Dip each crab into the buttermilk wash and then dredge in the flour mixture until well-coated.

Place the crabs in the skillet, top side down, and saute for about 3 minutes per side, turning once. When they have finished cooking and are pink in color, remove to a side platter and loosely cover with foil.

Heat the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallots for about 1 minute or until slightly softened. Add the lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Arrange the crabs on serving plates, drizzle over the sauce (or serve on the side) and garnish with lemon and parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings as a main course or 4 as a first course.