Recipes Oatmeal-Crusted Soft-Shell Crabs with Brown Butter Be the first to rate & review! This oatmeal-crusted crab dish is ideal for a fancy dinner party. Make sure to wash it down with a nice glass of white.Plus: More Seafood Recipes and Tips By Charlie Palmer Charlie Palmer Instagram Charlie Palmer is an American chef, hospitality entrepreneur, hotelier, and author. He has built hotels and restaurants throughout the USA.Having worked in his family's vegetable garden as a child in upstate New York, Charlie Palmer became an early advocate for farm food over factory food. He founded the sublime three-star Aureole restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side in 1988, where he committed to creating dishes featuring regional American ingredients. Twenty years later, Aureole relocated to a theatre district location within the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park in Times Square, where it flourished for 12 years before transitioning to a virtual model, Aureole at Home, in June 2020. In its 30 years as a brick-and-mortar restaurant, Aureole earned 13 Michelin stars and two James Beard awards. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 16, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © James Baigrie Ingredients 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal 1 cup Wondra flour Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large egg ½ cup buttermilk 8 medium soft-shell crabs (cleaned) 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons salted butter ½ cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons drained capers 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley Directions In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, grind the oatmeal to a fine powder. Transfer the oatmeal to a large, shallow bowl and whisk in the flour. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper. In another large, shallow bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Dip 1 crab at a time in the buttermilk mixture and shake off any excess, then dredge it thoroughly in the oatmeal flour to make a thin coating. Transfer the crab to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crabs. In each of 2 large skillets, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in 4 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Fry 4 crabs in each skillet until browned and crisp on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the crabs and fry until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spatula, transfer 2 crabs to each plate. Wipe out 1 of the skillets. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and cook over moderately high heat until it starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the capers and cook until they start sizzling and open into flowers, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and swirl to blend with the butter. Drizzle the brown butter sauce over the crabs and around the plates. Sprinkle the parsley over the crabs and serve at once. Serve With Shaved fennel and pea shoot salad with lemon vinaigrette. Rate it Print