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How to eat crabs ...

STEP 1 Twist off the claws and break them open with a mallet

or nutcracker to pick and suck out the meat.

STEP 2 Break off

the apron, then pull off the top shell. Rub off the feather gills.

STEP 3 Break the body in two; then break it in two again. Go to

work, picking and sucking that meat out.

Boiled or Steamed Crab

or Lobster

MAKES: 1 or 2 servings

TIME: 10 minutes

Put a dozen blue crabs or a 3-pound lobster in front

of someone, and you’ll be amazed at how much one person

can eat. Crabs require nothing more than salt, lemon,or melted butter,and lobsters don’t

even need that but see the variation if youwant something jazzier.Somepeople like hot sauce or mayonnaise

(plain or flavored)on the side. Also see the sauce suggestions in the list that follows.

The water should be salted, which can be done in

three ways: You can cook in seawater, which is nice you

can add seaweed, which is charming (and works)  or you

can use salt, as most of us do.

To serve any number of people, multiply this recipe

accordingly. Handful salt 6 to 12 blue or rock crabs or 1 or 2 lobsters, about 3

pounds total Bring a large pot of water to a boil (or just an inch

or so if you’re steaming instead of boiling); salt it. Put

the crabs or lobster in the pot one by one (use tongs

when they don’t try to pinch you, they’re probably dead).

Count cooking time from when the water returns

to a boil: Cook crabs for about 5 minutes, or until red;

lobster for about 8 minutes for its first pound and then

an additional 3 or 4 minutes per pound thereafter.

(Thus a 3-pounder should boil for 15 to 20 minutes.)

 The foolproof way to check doneness (essential with

larger lobsters) is to insert an instant-read thermometer

into the tail meat by sliding it in between the underside

of the body and the tail joint; lobster is done at 140°F.

Drain in a colander for a few minutes and eat, cool and

eat later, or remove the meat from the shells to use for