![Buttery Crab Casseroles](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/6aV0LHsg_4_1RBEJBSP8gxXmqfY=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Buttery-Crab-Casseroles-FT-recipe0519_0-22587356a9e447569fbcb2dc4ca5c0d7.jpg)
Ingredients
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3 (2-pound) live brown or Dungeness crabs, rinsed
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1/2 cup (4 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted pure Irish butter, divided
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1/2 cup finely chopped scallions (from 3 scallions)
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1/2 cup finely chopped celery leaves (from 1 celery stalk)
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
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Pinch of cayenne pepper
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1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
Directions
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Fit a steamer basket inside a large pot. Fill pot with water until water line is just below bottom of steamer basket. Bring to a rapid boil over high. Place crabs in steamer basket. Cover pot, and reduce heat to medium-high; steam crabs 18 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.
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Remove steamed crabs from pot, and plunge into ice water; let stand 10 minutes. Working with 1 crab at a time, remove from ice water. Remove crabmeat from shells; transfer crabmeat to a bowl, and discard crab shells. (Crabmeat should yield about 1 pound.)
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium skillet over medium. Add scallions and celery leaves; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove mixture from skillet; transfer to a plate. Add lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper to skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; cook, undisturbed, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add crabmeat; cook, stirring gently, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer crabmeat mixture to 4 (12-ounce) baking dishes or 1 (2-quart) baking dish; sprinkle with scallion mixture.
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Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium. Add breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until breadcrumbs are well coated with butter and slightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over crabmeat mixture.
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Transfer baking dishes to preheated oven; bake until crab casseroles just begin to bubble around edges, about 20 minutes. Serve hot with tossed salad.