Crab Rice

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter

4 cups water

2 fresh bay leaves

Pinch of kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided, plus more to taste

1 1/4 cups Carolina Gold rice

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

1 1/2 pounds jumbo lump crab, picked (about 4 cups) 

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until melted. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook the butter until you see foamy bubbles. As the butter cooks, take a spoon and skim as much foam into a small bowl as you can; discard. Continue cooking the butter, stirring occasionally, until the color darkens and you smell a nutty aroma, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the butter into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl; discard solids. Set aside. Save the buttered skillet pan for later use.

Bring water, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir in the rice. Simmer, uncovered and stirring often to prevent sticking, for 10 minutes. Strain the rice into a colander and then transfer to the back to the saucepan and stir in 3 tablespoons brown butter. Cover the pan and let sit for at least 10 minutes to finish steaming the rice.

Stir smoked paprika, pepper, allspice, ginger, mustard powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl. Place next to the stove.

Heat 1 tablespoon brown butter in the reserved buttered skillet pan over medium-high. Add crab and season crab with all but a pinch of the dry spice mixture. Stir the crab gently until the spice mixture coats the crab, trying not to break up in any clumps. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring once halfway through, until crab browns and forms a crust, about 5 minutes. Transfer 2 cups crab to a small bowl and set aside for serving.

Fold in rice and 2 tablespoons brown butter into the remaining crab mixture in skillet. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste. Cook over medium-low until hot, about 3 minutes.

Serve the crab rice topped with reserved crab, pinch of the seasoning, chives, lemon juice, and more brown butter, if desired.