Careme

Instructions

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1. 1.

   Position an oven rack 6 inches below the heating element and preheat the broiler on high. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil.

2. 2.

   Prepare the August produce:

   • Cut the kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn, scraping the cobs with the back of the knife to collect their juices.
   • Finely dice 4 ounces Walla Walla sweet onion.
   • Core and dice 8 ounces Roma tomatoes.
   • Thinly slice 0.5 ounce basil and divide it into two 0.25-ounce portions.
   • Zest and juice 1 medium lemon.
   • Finely grate 2 garlic cloves.

   Set each prepared ingredient aside separately.

3. 3.

   Twist the legs and claws from the 2-pound cooked Dungeness crab. Lift off the top shell, remove the gills and mouth parts, and discard them. Break the cleaned body into sections and lightly crack the legs and claws with a mallet or the back of a heavy knife. Arrange all edible crab pieces shell-side down on the prepared sheet pan.

4. 4.

   Make the lemon-basil butter by combining:

   • 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
   • The prepared grated garlic
   • The prepared lemon zest
   • 1 tablespoon of the prepared lemon juice
   • One 0.25-ounce portion of prepared basil
   • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
   • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

   Mash until evenly blended, then spread the butter over the exposed crab meat and into the cracked leg joints.

5. 5.

   Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared onion and corn kernels, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and sauté for 6 minutes until the corn is crisp-tender and lightly golden.

6. 6.

   Fold the prepared tomatoes into the corn mixture and cook for 2 minutes, just until warmed and beginning to soften. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the second 0.25-ounce portion of prepared basil and all the prepared lemon juice that remains, then cover to keep warm.

7. 7.

   Broil the buttered crab for 4 to 6 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the butter bubbles, the edges are lightly browned, and the crab is steaming hot throughout. Watch closely to prevent scorching.

8. 8.

   Spoon the warm corn and tomato succotash onto two shallow plates. Arrange the broiled crab over or beside it, drizzle the browned lemon-basil butter from the sheet pan over the crab, and serve immediately with shell crackers and picks.