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Baked Crab Legs

(recipe, Zanne Miller)

Introduction

Call your local fish market and order ahead to ensure availability on Christmas Eve. I order one crab for every 2 1/2 people and add one "for the pot." I try to buy the crabs on Christmas Eve morning, but they will keep in the back of your fridge for 24 hours if need be. Get precooked crabs, and ask to have them cleaned when you buy them, which will save you time and much aggravation.

Ingredients

1. Crab claws and legs from 4 Dungeness crabs (about 1½ to 2 pounds each; save the bodies for Crab in Marinara Sauce)
2. 2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the crab claws and legs in a large glass baking dish. Dust with the Old Bay seasoning and pour water into the pan to a depth of ½ inch.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Most of the water will steam off; drain the excess before serving.

Note

Read more about Italian Christmas Eve traditions in "The seven-fishes feast."