Roasted Crab with Fennel
Prep
20 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
This roasted crab with fennel is one of my favorite dishes to make when I want something impressive but totally manageable. Fresh crab paired with aromatic fennel creates such a beautiful, elegant meal, and the best part is it comes together in just about an hour total. Fennel is wonderful because it's naturally low in calories while packed with fiber and vitamin C, making this dish as nourishing as it is delicious. The simplicity of roasting everything together in one pan means minimal cleanup, and the ingredients won't break the bank either. Once you try this, you'll find yourself making it again and again.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 2whole live crabs(about 1.5 lbs each)
- 3fresh fennel bulbs(trimmed and sliced into wedges)
- 5 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoonsunsalted butter
- 2fresh lemon(zest and juice)
- 4garlic cloves(minced)
- 2 tablespoonsfresh thyme(chopped)
- 177 mlpanko breadcrumbs
- 1½ teaspoonskosher salt
- ¾ teaspoonblack pepper(freshly ground)
- ½ teaspoonfennel seeds(crushed)
- 118 mldry white wine
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Pat the crabs dry with paper towels and carefully split them in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. Remove the gills and the digestive sac from each half.
Tip: Ask your fishmonger to do this step if you're uncomfortable handling live crabs.
- 2
Arrange the fennel wedges on a large baking sheet and toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, crushed fennel seeds, kosher salt, and black pepper. Spread them out in an even layer.
Tip: The fennel will caramelize beautifully if given enough space and direct heat contact.
- 3
Roast the fennel in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until it begins to soften and develop golden edges. Remove the sheet from the oven.
- 4
Push the fennel to the sides of the baking sheet and arrange the crab halves in the center, flesh-side up. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Return the sheet to the oven and roast for 15-18 minutes until the crab meat is opaque and cooked through, and the fennel is very tender and caramelized.
Tip: The crab is done when the meat easily separates from the shell and shows no translucency.
- 6
While the crab roasts, melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in fresh thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
- 7
In a small bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of the lemon butter until evenly coated. Spread on a separate baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes during the last moments of the crab cooking until golden and crispy.
Tip: Watch the breadcrumbs closely so they don't burn.
- 8
Remove everything from the oven. Carefully pour the white wine into the baking sheet around the crab, scraping up any browned bits. Drizzle the lemon-herb butter over the crab meat and arrange the roasted fennel around it.
Tip: The wine adds acidity and helps deglaze the pan for a light pan sauce.
- 9
Top each crab half with a generous sprinkle of the toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately while hot, spooning the pan juices over each plate.
Tip: Provide small forks or picks for guests to extract the meat from the shells easily.
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