MAKES 4 SERVINGS

The blue crabs native to the Gulf South and Atlantic coastline shed their hard shells (or exoskeletons) many times as they grow. Before molting, the crabs form a soft new shell under the old one, which hardens within twelve hours. The crabs caught in this soft-shell state are a popular delicacy in south Louisiana. When the LaFranca family operated the restaurant, the menu often offered soft-shell crabs broiled, fried, or stuffed, and served with lemon butter sauce or Creole meunière sauce. The classic French beurre meunière sauce is made by browning butter to a light hazelnut color and then adding lemon juice and parsley. Many New Orleans restaurants have their own particular version. Some meunière sauces are made by combining a rich brown stock with butter, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and minced parsley. The LaFranca version was simple - their regular lemon butter sauce was cooked just a bit longer to give it a richer color and deeper flavor.

Ingredients:

4 soft-shell crabs, about 4 ounces each
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 cup cracker meal
Vegetable oil, for frying
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
½ cup blanched sliced almonds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons Worcestershire
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Using kitchen shears, cut each crab across the face to remove the eye sockets and the lower mouth. Carefully lift up the apron and remove the gills. Gently rinse under cold running water, pat dry, and set aside.

2. Combine the flour with the salt and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs in another shallow bowl. Put the cracker meal in a third bowl.

3. Heat enough oil to come H inch up the sides of a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, about 350°F.

4. Dredge the crabs in the seasoned flour, and then dip in the buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Dredge the crabs in the cracker meal, making sure that the legs are well breaded.

5. In 2 batches, add the crabs to the pan, top side down, and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

6. Pour the fat from the pan and wipe clean with paper towels. Return the pan to medium heat and add the butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the almonds and cook, stirring, until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Remove the almonds with a slotted spoon, reduce the heat to low, and cook the butter until it begins to brown and smell nutty, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, Worcestershire, and salt and stir to combine.

7. Return the pan to low heat and cook until the butter is browned, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the almonds, and swirl to coat with the sauce.

8. To serve, place 1 crab in the center of each of 4 large plates. Spoon the sauce over the crabs and serve immediately.