Buckhead Diner Soft-Shell Crab Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1  cup  French green beans
• 8  cups  mixed baby lettuces
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2  cup  milk
• 1/2  cup  buttermilk
• 8  soft-shell crabs, dressed
• Vegetable oil
• Red wine vinaigrette
• Shallot-dill mayonnaise

Preparation

Boil green beans in water to cover 2 minutes; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain again.

Combine green beans, lettuces, and bell peppers; set aside.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a shallow dish; set aside.

Combine milk and buttermilk.

Dredge crabs in flour mixture, and dip in milk mixture. Dredge in flour mixture again.

Pour oil to depth of 1 inch into a Dutch oven; heat to 350°. Fry crabs 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Cut crabs in half.

Toss together bean mixture and 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette; place on serving plates. Arrange 4 crab halves on each salad and dollop each with shallot-dill mayonnaise. Serve immediately.