Soft-Shell Crabs with Fennel and Mesclun Salad - milk

Method

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