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1
Whisk together the garlic, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard, and orange zest.
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2
Toss in 10 of the thyme sprigs.
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3
Place the crabs in a shallow baking dish and smear the garlic mixture all over them, working it into the cracks in the shell.
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4
Set aside in the refrigerator.
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5
Preheat the oven to 425F.
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6
Heat a large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
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7
Add the shallot and saute for 1 minute.
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8
Add the fennel and the rest of the thyme and saute for 1 minute.
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9
Pour in the wine and orange juice and bring to a boil.
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10
Add salt to taste, decrease the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
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11
Add the carrot and potatoes and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
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12
Add the crab and all of the marinade to the pan and bring to a boil.
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13
Taste the sauce and season as needed.
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14
Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 5 minutes.
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15
Baste the crab with the sauce and roast for 5 minutes more.
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16
Take the pan out of the oven and carefully pour the sauce through a large strainer into a bowl.
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17
Cover the crab to keep it warm.
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18
Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.
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19
Reduce the sauce, stirring often, for 4 minutes.
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20
Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter.
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21
To serve, divide the crab and vegetables among the plates.
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22
Pour the sauce over the crab and season with pepper.
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23
Garnish with orange supremes and a lemon quarter.
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24
A winter treat to look forward to, Dungeness crab is a sustainable seafood choice because Dungeness fisheries are so well run: Only male crabs at least 6 1/4 inches long are caught and sold, allowing them 1 to 2 years to mate as adults; traps let undersized crabs escape, and females are returned to the water; and fishing gear made from biodegradable webs prevents ghost fishing, when traps abandoned underwater trap animals indefinitely.
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25
Over the last fifty years these fishing practices have helped to preserve a thriving Dungeness population.