A Rich Dish: Buttered Crab

This is one for the books, folks!  Buttered crab!  An incredibly delectable dish full of flavor that you will not be able to finish alone.  I'm planning on making this for the next pot luck I'm invited to, and I suggest that you all do the same.  It will be a hit!

My buttered crab recipe comes from Hannah Glasse.  She suggests this recipe for either crab or lobster.  You will need: crab or lobster meat minced small (about a pound or a pound and 1/2), a glass of white wine, two tablespoons of vinegar (just plain white), a bit of nutmeg, half a pound of butter, two egg yolks, and an (optional!) anchovy.  First, if you have a whole crab, take the meat from the shell and save the great shell.  Hannah Glasse suggests that you serve up this dish in the shell when done.  If you have canned meat, skip that step-- it's not necessary, but makes for a great presentation.  Can you imagine?  Served in a crab shell!  But, it's not necessary.  As you can see, mine was simply presented on a plate.

So, put the crab meat in a large frying pan, add in your glass of white wine, your vinegar, and your nutmeg.  Let cook together for a few minutes.  While that cooks, melt your butter (if you're using an anchovy, add it to your butter here) and mix it with your egg yolks.  Then add that mixture to the crab meat, "shaking the sauce-pan constantly round till quite hot."  Then, if you have the great shell, pour the mixture into the shell for the presentation.  If not, put on a plate.

Then you need to make toast points!  Cut your bread into triangles and fry them in butter or lard until brown, like you would with the bread in a grilled cheese.  Once the bread has been lightly browned on each side, place pleasingly around your plate (or shell).  When you serve it, scoop the buttered crab onto the toast points.  This is a delicious, delicious dish that will fill you up after two bites (or four... or six).  Definitely take it to a party.