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1
Preheat the oven to 400.
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2
Pour the milk into a large shallow dish and season with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
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3
Put the crabs in the milk and let marinate for about 10 minutes.
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4
Slice the fennel very thinly on a mandoline.
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5
Transfer the fennel to a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt.
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6
Toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and refrigerate until ready to use.
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7
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice with the olive oil, Pernod, lime juice and sugar.
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8
Season with salt and pepper.
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9
Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet.
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10
One by one, lift 4 of the crabs out of the milk and dredge them in flour, shaking off the excess.
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11
When the oil is almost smoking, fry the crabs over moderately high heat, top shell side down, until browned and crisp on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
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12
Turn the crabs and cook until crisp on the second side, about 2 minutes longer.
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13
Transfer the crabs to a rimmed baking sheet.
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14
Discard the oil and carefully wipe the skillet clean.
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15
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pan.
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16
Flour and fry the remaining crabs, then transfer them to the baking sheet.
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17
Keep the crabs hot in the oven while you prepare the salad.
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18
Squeeze the fennel dry.
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19
In a large bowl, combine the mesclun with the fennel and toss with the vinaigrette.
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20
Mound the salad on plates, top each salad with 2 crabs and serve.
