Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course

Serve With: Cheesy Potatoes, Garlic Butter and Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients:

4 wild Alaskan king crab legs, thawed

Garlic Butter Basting & Dipping Sauce

• 1 stick butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
• 1 clove minced garlic

Cheesy Potatoes, aka Romano Potatoes

• 2 cups cream or milk
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 pounds (about 4 large) russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika, for the topping
  
• Extra shredded Parmesan or Romano, for topping

Grilled Vegetable Skewers

• 1 yellow squash
• 1 small bushel cherry tomatoes
• 1 green zucchini

Directions:

Today we're preparing wild Alaskan king crab legs, which almost always come precooked and frozen. The best way to thaw your frozen crab legs is in the refrigerator the day before. In a pinch, you can thaw them under cold running water. I serve these grilled Alaskan crab legs with cheesy potatoes and fresh grilled vegetables. It's quick, easy, and I know you're going to love it!

Garlic Butter Basting & Dipping Sauce

1. Before cooking crab legs, we're going to make a quick garlic butter for basting and dipping. For the garlic butter, melt down butter in a saucepan over medium heat . When melted, stir in rosemary, thyme and garlic and simmer over very low heat, stirring, about 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to grill crab legs.

Grilled Vegetables

1. Slice vegetables and place on skewers. Set aside until ready to grill crab legs.

Cooking Crab Legs

1. Quickly rinse your crab legs under cool running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Using kitchen scissors, make a long slit across each leg. This will allow the basting butter to melt in while grilling, and also makes it easier to peel and eat.
2. To grill crab legs, preheat your barbecue to medium heat. Remember, we're just reheating these about 5-10 minutes max. Place on the grill, along with your skewer of sliced vegetables, and baste well while cooking. It may flare up a bit, but that's OK. After 5 minutes, turn the vegetables and crab legs and baste again. Remove from the grill.

Making the Cheesy Potatoes

1. Cut potatoes in half, then cut into cubes. Add potatoes to rapidly boiling water.
2. Melt butter in a sauce pot over low heat. Add minced garlic and stir about 2 minutes. Stir in cream. Bring cream to scalding point, stirring and watching so it doesn't boil. As soon as small bubbles start to form on the edge of the pot, remove the mixture from heat and set aside.
3. Check potatoes after 20 minutes. They are ready when they break apart easily, about 25 minutes. Strain potatoes, then add back to the pot.
4. Using a wire whisk, add cream to potatoes, a little bit at a time, whisking until you get the creamy consistency you want. You may not use all of the cream.
5. Stir in grated parmesan cheese and grated cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Place mashed potatoes into individual ramekins and place on a sheet pan, or scoop with an ice cream scooper onto a greased sheet pan or casserole dish. Sprinkle each scoop of potatoes with a little more grated parmesan and a generous sprinkling of paprika.
7. Broil potatoes about 2 minutes, or until browned.

Chef Jason's Notes: The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach, California, has been a local's favorite since 1951. They're famous for their fisherman's bread, fresh clam chowder and king crab legs. If you have a chance to visit this seafood restaurant, be sure to arrive early. People often line up out the door for a taste of this simply prepared seafood, served with Romano cheesy potatoes or rice pilaf. The king crab legs, dipped in drawn butter, are amazing. And what's best? You can buy some at their Fish Market to bring home. Though steaming crab legs and boiling crab legs are popular methods, our crab leg recipe is perfect for an outdoor barbecue.