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Creative Crab Recipes

Ultimate Soft Crab Sandwich
Crab Swiss Quiche
Dipping sauce for steamed crabs
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Hot Crab Dip
Bill's Deviled Crab
Deep Dish Crab Quiche
Susan's Crab Meltaways
Cheddar Cheese Chutney Crab Dip
Crabmeat Tapas
Crab Artichoke Nibbles
Stuffed Soft Crabs
Michael's Crab Dip
Double Sauced Crab Urchins
Rehearsal Dinner Crab
Annapolis' Finest Crab Casserole
Barb's Crab Scramble
Fried Soft Shell Crabs
Soft Shell Crabs with Lemon, Capers and Herbs

Ultimate Soft Crab Sandwich
Lillian Brown of Annapolis

6 strips bacon
1 cup bacon drippings
3 soft-shell crabs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 slices rye bread
3 lettuce leaves
1 tomato
Dijon mustard

Clean soft-shell crabs by first cutting off the eyes and mouth. Lift each end of the shell and remove the gills with a sharp knife. Turn the crabs over and remove the apron.

Fry the bacon and leave the drippings in the pan. Mix flour, cornmeal and seasonings in a shallow pan. Dredge crabs one at a time in seasoned flour.

Heat bacon grease in the frying pan on medium heat until flour dropped onto the surface bubbles to the top. Fry crabs on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Spread one side of rye bread with Dijon mustard, and stack lettuce, tomato, bacon and crab. Top with other slice of bread.

Crab Swiss Quiche

9-inch pie crust
8 ounces evaporated canned milk
6 ounces crab meat
3 eggs
2 green onions
8 ounces grated imported Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash of mace
Couple drops of hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

Clean crab meat and set aside in refrigerator. Line crust with double thickness of foil. Bake in 450-degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more until set and dry. Remove from oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Thinly slice green onions and beat eggs. Sprinkle cheese over bottom of crust; top with crab meat and onions. Combine eggs, evaporated milk, lemon peel, mustard and mace. Pour into hot crust. Cover edge with foil. Bake in 325-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Dipping sauce for steamed crabs
Experiment with a mixture of:

mayonnaise
ketchup
mustard
worcestershire sauce
Old Bay hot sauce (if you like spicy)
the spice from the crabs

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound Maryland backfin crab meat
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of ginger
2 tablespoons cracker meal
24 fresh mushtooms, about 2 to 3 inches in diameter
1 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon seafood seasoning
2 dashes liquid hot pepper
Paprika for sprinkling

Remove cartilage from crab meat, being careful not to break crab lumps. Put crab meat in large bowl and set aside.

In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, celery salt, pepper, paprika and ginger. Pour sauce over crab meat and mix gently but thoroughly. Carefully mix in cracker meal. Wash and remove stems from mushrooms. Place mushrooms in a baking pan, stem side up and fill each mushroom with about 2 tablespoons of crab mixture. Place in a 375-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until crab meat mixture begins to brown.

Mix together 1 cup mayonnaise, egg, seafood seasoning and liquid hot pepper sauce. Spread a generous amount of topping over each mushroom. Sprinkle with paprika and bake in 375-degree oven until the topping becomes a light brown color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Makes 24.

Hot Crab Dip
from the Maryland Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation

1 pound crab meat
8-ounce carton sour cream
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 shakes garlic salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine crab meat, sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise and seasoning. Place in a casserole. Top with cheddar cheese and bake in a 325-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with party crackers or small rye bread.

Bill's Deviled Crab
From Pauline O'Neill

1 pound backfin crab meat
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 hard-boiled eggs
3 tablespoons butter
1 slice firm white bread
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
2 tablespoons minced onion

Cut crust from bread and cut into very small cubes. Melt butter and saute onion until tender but not brown, over low heat. Add bread cubes and set aside. Mash egg yolks add mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Mix well. Chop egg whites very fine and add to mixture. Combine bread and onion mixture with crab meat and mix gently. Pour mayonnaise mixture over crab mixture and toss lightly to blend. Spoon into buttered shells and bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serves 4 to 6.

Deep Dish Crab Quiche
From Crab Feast Mania Cookbook

4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
5 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
5 1/2 ounces backfin crab meat, drained and flaked
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-draIned
1 pie crust shell

Toss together cheese and flour. Combine milk, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add crab meat, cheese mixture and spinach to milk mixture. Pour into pie shell and place pie pan on a cookie sheet in the oven. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes. Serves 6.

Susan's Crab Meltaways

12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound special or claw crab meat, picked
12 English muffins, split

In the top pan of a double boiler, place the cheese, mayonnaise, butter, Old Bay and garlic. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is completely melted. Stir in the parsley and crab meat. Arrange the muffin halves on an ungreased baking sheet and divide the crab meat mixture among them, spreading it on evenly. Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Move the baking sheet from the freezer to the oven and bake until nicely browned, 14 to 20 minutes. The muffin halves can be served whole or cut into quarters for hors d'oeuvres. Note: These muffin halves must be frozen before baking for best flavor. Serves 12.

Cheddar Cheese Chutney Crab Dip

8-ounce package cream cheese
1 pound cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound backfin crab meat
2 jars Major Gray's chutney
1 small package sliced almonds (optional)
1 bunch green onions, minced (optional)

Soften and blend cream cheese and cheddar. Blend cheeses with 1 jar chutney and spread on a plate. Spread a layer of chutney on top (the second jar). Spread crab on top. At the last minute before serving, add the almonds and green onions, if desired. Serve with crackers.

Crabmeat Tapas
From Chesapeake Bay Crab Cookbook by John Shields

12 tartlet shells or use eggroll wrappers in muffin tins.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced drained capers
2 hard cooked eggs, finely chopped
2 tablespoon minced yellow onion
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound backfin or special crab meat, picked
1/4 pound air-dried ham, such as Smithfield or prosciutto, cut into small dice
Green Spanish olives, pitted, for garnish.

In a small skillet over medium high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bell pepper and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, capers, eggs, onion, lemon juice, parsley and black pepper. Gently fold the crab meat, ham and sauteed peppers into the mayonnaise mixture. Mound the mixture into the prebaked tartlet shells and garnish with olives. Serve as hors d'oeuvres.

Note: Instead of using individual tartlet shells, arrange the entire mixture in a pre-baked 12-inch tart shell. Cut into individual-size pieces to serve.

Crab Artichoke Nibbles

2 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 pound crab meat
1 small finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
Old Bay seasoning, to taste

Drain marinade from artichokes into skillet. Chop artichokes and set aside with crab meat. Saute onions and garlic in marinade until onions are clear. In mixing bowl, combine eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, Tabasco, cheese, parsley and marinade mixture; mix well. Fold in artichokes and crab meat. Spread in baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning for the Annapolis touch. Cool slightly, cut into squares and serve.

Stuffed Soft Crabs

12 medium Maryland soft crabs, cleaned
1 pound backfin crab meat
1/2 cup butter or margarine

Dry soft crabs with paper towels. Remove all cartilage from crab meat. Put soft crabs in shallow baking pan. Remove top shell from crabs and stuff each crab cavity with about 3 tablespoons crab meat. Replace top shell. Melt butter and pour evenly over crabs. Bake in 400-degree oven until shells turn red and crabs are slightly brown, about 15 minutes. Serves 6.

Michael's Crab Dip
From Michael Kelly

1 pound backfin crab
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoningpint sour cream
4 ounces sharp cheese, grated

Soften cream cheese. Beat in sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and Old Bay seasoning. Fold in crab meat and cheese. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with crackers.

Double Sauced Crab Urchins
By Dee Van Nest

1 pound backfin or lump crab meat
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
24 capers
1 package shredded fillo dough

Marinate ginger in heavy cream for 20 minutes, then strain. Com bine crab meat, flavored cream, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, cheese, parsley, cilantro and lime juice. Put reserved ginger in a garlic press and add pulp to crab mixture. Gently fold to mix. Divide into 16 mounds. Press 3 capers into each mound. Pull apart fillo and brush lightly with butter. Cover crab mound with fillo. Brush again with butter. Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until fillo is brown. Makes 8 appetizer servings.

Rehearsal Dinner Crab
By Betsy Hedeman

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 slice white bread, crust removed and broken in tiny pieces
1/4 cup sherry
1 pound backfin crab meat

In a double boiler, melt cheese and butter. Add milk slowly, then add cream. Thoroughly mix in spices. Add bread, stir in wine and use a whisk to blend well. Cook until slightly thickened. At the last minute, add crab meat. Put away the whisk; using a spoon, stir only as necessary to make sure all of the mixture is warm. Serve over patty shells.

Note: This recipe took first place in the Best Ever Crab Recipe Contest held in St. Michaels.

Annapolis' Finest Crab Casserole
From Barbara Morris

2 cups medium white sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
Salt
Lemon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup green pepper, minced
1 cup minced celery
1 large onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry sherry
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds fresh lump crab meat
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup medium or sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
1 cup Saltine cracker crumbs, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

Make white sauce, flavoring it with Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt and pepper. In medium pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Saute green pepper, celery, onion and garlic. Add this mixture to cream sauce. Saute mushrooms in another 2 tablespoons butter and mix with cream sauce.

Add sherry, lemon juice, crab meat, parsley, Cheddar and cup Parmesan to cream sauce. Mix thoroughly but gently. Pour mixture into greased 9-by-13-inch casserole and sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan and cracker crumbs. Top with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Barb's Crab Scramble

4 tablespoons butter or margarine
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 pound crab meat
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter or margarine in a 9-by-13inch baking dish placed in the oven. Beat eggs, milk, salt, pepper and dill until fluffy. Stir in crab meat and cream cheese. Pour into baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes until set in the center. Serves 9.

Fried Soft Shell Crabs

1 cup pancake flour
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
12 soft shell crabs, cleaned
Oil for frying

Mix together pancake flour and seafood seasoning. Dredge crabs in flour mixture to coat well. In large fry pan or electric skillet, heat about ½ inch cooking oil to 375 degrees. Add crabs and turn heat down to 350 degrees. Cook crabs until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Makes 6 servings, 2 crabs each.

Soft Shell Crabs with Lemon, Capers and Herbs

8 soft shell crabs, cleaned and patted dry with paper towels
Flour for dredging
10 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon drained tiny capers, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 scallion, minced
Ground black pepper

Dredge crabs in flour, pat off excess. Heat two heavybottomed frying pans until quite hot, about 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to each pan, swirling pans to keep butter from burning. When foam subsides, turn heat to high and add four crabs, skins down, to each pan. Cover pans with splatter screen and cook, adjusting heat as necessary to keep butter from burning, about 5 minutes. Turn crabs with spatula or tongs and cook until second side is browned, about 5 more minutes. Drain crabs on paper towel-lined plate.

Set one pan aside. Pour off butter from other pan and remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients, including 2 tablespoons butter and pepper to one of the warm pans. Cook sauce until ingredients are mixed, swirling pan to melt butter. Arrange two crabs on each of four plates. Spoon about 1 tablepoon of sauce over each plate and serve immediately. Serves 4.

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