Soft-Shell Crabs With Almonds

• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 12 small, fresh soft-shell crabs, cleaned (see note)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. In flat dish, combine the milk, salt, pepper and Tabasco.
2. Blend well.
3. Add the crabs, turning them over to coat well with the milk.
4. Place the flour in a flat dish and remove the crabs from the milk.
5. Dredge them in the flour.
6. Shake to remove any excess flour.
7. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet.
8. Place six crabs in the pan and cook them over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned on one side.
9. Turn and cook until golden brown on the other side.
10. The total cooking time is about 6 or 7 minutes depending on the thickness.
11. Transfer to a warm serving platter and keep warm.
12. Add remaining vegetable oil to pan and repeat the procedure with the other crabs.
13. Pour off the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels.
14. Add the butter and olive oil, add the shallots and sliced almonds and cook until lightly browned, shaking the pan.
15. When the oil is bubbling, add the lemon juice and pour the mixture over the crabs.
16. Sprinkle with parsley.

milk, salt, tabasco sauce, fresh softshell, flour, vegetable oil, butter, olive oil, shallots, almonds, lemon juice, parsley

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3121 (may not work)