Jim Beard's Deviled Crab and Broiled Soft Shell Crabs
Last edited Tue Nov 12, 2013, 11:38 PM - Edit history (1)
This is one of the easiest to prepare, most delicious recipes I've ever tried. Invited some friends over for lunch and served it with a green salad, hot rolls and a Trader Joe's raspberry tort. So, very little time was spent in the kitchen - more time chit chatting.
Deviled Crab
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 green pepper minced
1 cup green onions chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
2 pounds of crab meat
2-1/2 cups of coarsely crushed cracker crumbs
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of melted butter
Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon of salt
Combine all ingredients and pour into lightly buttered 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes. Recipe says this serves 6-8, but the 5 of us cleaned it up! Enjoy.
(Edited to add 2nd recipe)
= new reply since forum marked as read
I've missed my old James Beard cookbook since I left our house (and husb probably packed it up with others.) Daughter MAY have it, and if so, I hope to retrieve it.
He is/was great, good taste and simplicity.
Sounds like a fine recipe, perfect for those of us in Maryland, with all these crabs around!
My mother always called him "Jim" as if she knew him personally. 
Her paperback copy of The James Beard Cookbook is 54 years old, complete with tattered, loose yellow pages, but still readable. Here's another crab recipe for you:
Broiler Soft Shell Crabs (Serves 4)
8 to 12 soft shelled crabs
flour
butter
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1/4 c. chopped chives
salt & pepper
Heat the broiler and line broiler pan with foil. Dip the crabs in flour and arrange them on the pan. Blend 8 tablespoons of soft butter with the parsley and chives and put a good dab of it on top of each crab, saving half of it for the other side of the crabs. Broil for 4 minutes, basting with melted butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and turn the crabs to finish cooking. Dab the crabs again with the herbed butter and baste as they finish cooking. Give them about 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. Serve with the sauces from the broiling pan poured over them.