Recipe of the Week! 

Soft Shell Crabs with Sugar Snap Peas and Hazelnuts
The Wine Experience Wine Recommendation: Sauvignon Blanc
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter
4 small to medium-size soft shell crabs
Milk for soaking crabs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/3 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts
¼ pound fresh sugar snap peas, blanched, refreshed, drained, and cut into thin slices on a diagonal.

Preparation:
In a small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons butter over low heat.  Spoon the foam off the top and discard.  Reserve the clarified butter.  Clean the crabs and place them in a shallow dish, adding enough milk to cover.  Soak for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Season crabs with salt and pepper.  Dredge them in the flour and shake off any excess.  In a heavy large skillet, heat the clarified butter over high heat until hot but not smoking.  Carefully place the crabs in the skillet, shell-side down; they tend to sputter and pop.  Cook the crabs until they begin to blister and then flip.  Transfer skillet to the preheated over and bake for 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile in a separate skillet, melt the remaining butter over moderate heat and cook until it just begins to brown.  Add the sherry vinegar and remove from heat.  Add the nuts and blanched peas, tossing to coat and combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Place a crab on each serving plate and top with brown butter sauce, nuts, and peas

From Clos du Bois Winery