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Crab: Beer-Steamed Crab with Mustard Butter

Source of Recipe


From "Crab"






List of Ingredients



• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  
• 2 bottles (12 ounces each) pale ale
  
• 3 to 4 dried red chilies, or 1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
  
• 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh, torn or crushed
  
• 4 to 5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
  
• 2 Dungeness crabs (about 2 lbs. each), cleaned and portioned, shells lightly cracked if pre-cooked
  






Instructions



1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the mustard powder and set aside.
   
   
2. Pour the ale into a large pot (about 8-quart capacity); add the chilies, bay leaves and parsley sprigs, and set a collapsible steamer basket in the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and bring the beer to a boil over high heat.
   
   
3. Add the crab portions, cover, reduce the heat to medium-high, and steam until the crab is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. (If using pre-cooked crab, steam until it is just heated through, about 7 to 10 minutes.) Check the level of liquid once or twice toward the end of cooking to be certain that the pan's not steaming dry; if the liquid is nearly evaporated, add a cup or so of very hot, preferably boiling, water to the pot.
   
   Transfer the steamed crab portions to individual plates. Stir the mustard butter to gently remix, and pour it into indivdual dishes. Have a bowl available for discarded shells and provide plenty of napkins.
   
   Serves 2 to 4