Soft Shell Crabs With Chive Sauce

Combine flour and salt and pepper to taste in plastic bag. Pat crabs dry and add to flour mixture. Shake to coat.

Heat but butter in skillet large enough to hold all crabs in 1 layer. Shake excess flour from crabs. Place crabs in hot butter and sauté over medium heat until golden and firm,, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Remove crabs to baking sheet and keep warm in a 300F oven.

Add wine to skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until wine is reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream, mustard and chives. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, place 2 crabs on each of 2 plates. Spoon half of sauce over each serving.

From an article by Bev Bennett in the San Francisco Examiner, 6/2/93.