Snow Crab with Lime Cilantro Butter
Recipes, Seafood

Steamed Snow Crab with Cilantro Lime Butter

Happy New Year to you and all your loved ones! I know there are many traditions and superstitions people support on New Year’s day to bring good fortune or luck in the new year: grapes, greens, black-eyed peas, to name a few. Here in the Rex household we made up our own tradition. We eat crab! I’m not quite sure why it started, probably that we were at the store and they were on sale and we thought ‘what the heck – lets do something fun and indulgent on NY day’. Then I went online to research various NY traditions I found out crab is not so lucky….sooo perhaps make this on a different day – our fate may already be sealed. 😐 

Maybe this explains my weight gain?  Moving in the wrong direction at the beginning of the year.  This butter is delicious with crab.  I could not get enough of it.  I liked it almost better than the crab!  Next year we need a tub of butter and more crab.

I decided to do a unique twist on the butter. I melted the butter with some garlic, cilantro and lime and the result was a one-two punch of flavor! The freshness of the lime and cilantro added a whole new zing to the crab, but it still let the crab shine through. And only 5 ingredients for the whole dish! The crab legs themselves take just minutes to steam…then we sit down with them on a tray between us with a bunch of utensils and get to crackin’! Our only regret is we didn’t have more – we only got enough for us each to have half a crab. I shall remedy this next year. 😉

Snow Crab with Lime Cilantro Butter

Steamed Snow Crab Legs with Cilantro Lime Butter

2 sets of snow crab clusters (which is usually one crab, cut in half and cleaned about 4 legs plus a claw per).
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
zest of 1 lime (I use my Microplane – so easy!)
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

Fill a pot with a steamer basket just below the steam basket level. Heat on the stove, covered until boiling and you can tell steam is coming out.  In the meantime, add butter to a small saucepan on medium heat. Let this cook until most of the ‘froth’ or milk solids start to dissipate, add in your garlic. Add your crab to the steaming pot and let cook 5 minutes. Once the crab is cooked, place on a tray. Add your lime zest and cilantro to the melted butter and transfer to two small dishes for dipping. Crack and enjoy!

Serves: 2

Estimated Nutrition Stats (per serving): Calories – 263 | Fat – 23g | Carbs – 1g | Net carbs – 1g | Fiber – 0g | Protein – 14g

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