12 fingerling potatoes, washed
1 cup of fresh fava beans
1 pound of broccoli rabe, cleaned, stalks removed
12 medium soft shelled crabs sea salt and fresh white pepper
6 tablespoons of grape seed oil (can substitute with canola)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of heavy cream
3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Directions:
For the vegetables
Cook the potatoes over high heat in a pot of boiling salted water for about 10-15 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and let stand in cooking liquid. Cook fava beans in salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove beans from liquid and shock them in ice water. Peel the skins. Cook broccoli rabe in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until tender—should be tender with a vibrant green color. Drain and keep warm.
For the sauce
Add 8 tablespoons of butter to a sauté pan over medium high heat and melt. Continue to cook until butter begins to brown. Add lemon juice and cream. Reduce cream by half or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
For the crabs
Preheat the oven to 450º. Season crabs with salt and pepper. Divide the oil between two 10-or 12-inch sauté pans and place on the heat. When the oil is very hot, but not yet smoking, add the crabs, shell side down, and sauté until crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the crabs and place the pans in the oven for 4-5 minutes. While the crabs are cooking, cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds and add them to a sauce pan with a bit of the cooking liquid. Add the fava beans and 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer. In a sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add garlic. When garlic just begins to brown, add broccoli rabe and sauté until heated through, season if necessary.
In the center of four warmed dinner plates, spoon equal amounts of the potatoes and fava beans. Place the broccoli rabe on top and then 3 crabs. Spoon the butter sauce on crabs and vegetables. Scatter with chives.