King Crab with Lemon Grass-Ginger Butter and Roasted Potatoes
James Carrier
Notes: Jack Amon, chef at the Marx Bros. Café in Anchorage, serves Alaska king crab with a simple butter sauce and hearty potatoes. If you buy the crab legs thawed, you can have the fishmonger crack them for you, or use a nutcracker or wood mallet to crack the shell along each section of crab legs. Cracked Dungeness crab is also delicious brushed with the lemon grass-ginger butter, then broiled (step 4).
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Scrub potatoes; cut each in half across widest dimension and brush cut sides with lemon grass-ginger butter, about 1 tablespoon total. Set potatoes cut side up in a shallow 3-quart casserole (about 9 by 13 in.).
Step 2
2
Bake in a 400° regular or convection oven for 20 minutes. Turn potatoes cut side down and bake until well browned and tender when pierced, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
Step 3
3
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix parmesan cheese, shallot, parsley, and garlic. When potatoes are done, sprinkle mixture evenly over them. Cover and keep warm.
Step 4
4
Arrange crab legs in a single layer in an 11- by 17-inch pan. Brush with lemon grass-ginger butter, using about 2 tablespoons total. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until meat is hot in center of thickest part of leg (cut where cracked to test), 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 5
5
Transfer crab legs to a platter, arrange potatoes around them, and sprinkle with the minced fresh basil. Serve with the remaining lemon grass-ginger butter to add to taste.
Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds red thin-skinned potatoes (each 2 to 2 1/2 in. wide)
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
5 pounds thawed frozen cooked Alaska king crab legs, cracked (see notes)
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil
Directions
Step 1
1
Scrub potatoes; cut each in half across widest dimension and brush cut sides with lemon grass-ginger butter, about 1 tablespoon total. Set potatoes cut side up in a shallow 3-quart casserole (about 9 by 13 in.).
Step 2
2
Bake in a 400° regular or convection oven for 20 minutes. Turn potatoes cut side down and bake until well browned and tender when pierced, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
Step 3
3
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix parmesan cheese, shallot, parsley, and garlic. When potatoes are done, sprinkle mixture evenly over them. Cover and keep warm.
Step 4
4
Arrange crab legs in a single layer in an 11- by 17-inch pan. Brush with lemon grass-ginger butter, using about 2 tablespoons total. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until meat is hot in center of thickest part of leg (cut where cracked to test), 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 5
5
Transfer crab legs to a platter, arrange potatoes around them, and sprinkle with the minced fresh basil. Serve with the remaining lemon grass-ginger butter to add to taste.
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