When you have crab legs on the shelf, there is only one dinner to make: thaw them if frozen, crack them open, and dip each piece in brown butter and garlic. This is how the crab stays the star.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 530 calories a serving, 42 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 39 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. If the crab legs are frozen, place them in a bowl of cold water to thaw for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the crab legs. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through, then drain well and place on a warm plate.5 min
3. While the crab cooks, mince 4 cloves garlic. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat, stirring often until the milk solids brown and smell nutty, about 3 minutes; add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, then remove from heat.3 min
4. Crack the crab legs at the joints to expose the meat. Serve with the brown butter and garlic for dipping, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

Note The crab keeps in the coldest part of the fridge for up to two days; reheat gently in simmering water. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the butter, or a simple salad of bitter greens and lemon.