Instructions: If you want to prepare your own crab, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the crab. If the crab has been kept cold, it is easier to get into the pot.

Bring the water back to a boil. Cook a 1- to 2-pound crab for 10-12 minutes, until it turns pink. When you remove the crab from the water, lift up the back a bit to make sure its gills are no longer black. Let the crab cool slightly, resting on its back.

When cool enough to handle, pull off the tail section and discard it, along with the intestinal vein. Turn the crab over, grab the large top shell from underneath and snap it off. Remove the spongy gills and other organs. This is a messy job, so its a good idea to work at the sink and rinse the crab with cold water as you proceed.

Before serving, snap the legs off the body and break the body into sections.

Take each leg and bend it backward at the joints until it cracks. Then tap with a mallet along the length of the leg. A nutcracker works well, too.

Serve with lemon wedges and a couple of sauces for dipping, and youre set.

Aleta Watson

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