Ingredients

1 cup semolina flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

12 soft-shell crabs, with the aprons removed by the fishmonger

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup dry white wine

juice of 3 lemons

1/3 cup drained capers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 cups tightly packed arugula, stems removed, rinsed, and spun dry

1 bunch watercress, stems removed, rinsed, and spun dry

3 lemons, zest and pith removed, cut into wedges

16 caper berries

Preparation

Sift the semolina flour and all-purpose flour together and dust the crabs with it.

Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to hold the crabs in one layer over medium heat, then add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter has melted, add the crabs and sauté on both sides, seasoning with salt and pepper, until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the crabs and keep them warm.

Add the wine to the sauté pan. When it has evaporated, add two-thirds of the lemon juice, the capers, the rest of the butter, and the chopped parsley. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the sauce is creamy.

Pour the remaining lemon juice into a mixing bowl, add ¼ teaspoon salt, and whisk until the salt has dissolved. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and whisk until well mixed.

Place the arugula in a salad bowl and add the watercress, lemon wedges, and caper berries. Add the lemon juice-and-oil mixture and mix well.

Serve the crabs with the sauce on top and the salad on the side. A South African Chardonnay will play beautifully off the crabmeat and the peppery arugula.