Soft-Shell Crabs in Surrey Bacon Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound Surrey or other smoky slab bacon
• diced
• 1 medium-size red onion
• diced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• preferably homemade
• 4 leaves red-leaf lettuce
• washed and thoroughly dried
• 8 slices ripe tomato
• 4 tablespoons clarified butter or vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• 8 soft-shell crabs
• cleaned

Instructions

1. Place diced bacon in a large, heavy skillet and cook over medium-low heat until all the fat is rendered and bacon bits are very crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel and reserve.
3. Add diced red onion to skillet and cook over medium heat until very soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Sprinkle sugar evenly over onions and cook over low heat, without stirring, until the sugar caramelizes, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Cool completely, then fold into mayonnaise.
6. Put a lettuce leaf on each of 4 serving plates.
7. Put 2 tomato slices to one side on each plate.
8. Spoon chilled dressing over lettuce.
9. Pour clarified butter or oil into a large heavy skillet and heat over a medium flame.
10. Dredge 4 soft-shell crabs in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, and place in skillet.
11. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side (jumbos will take longer), until crisp.
12. Hold in a warm place while cooking remaining crabs.
13. Transfer to prepared plates and sprinkle with reserved bacon bits.
14. Serve at once.