Hot Garlic Crab Crostini

Crostini, plural of crostino ~ “little crusts” in Italian ~ sounds fancier than they really are.  They’re actually just baguette slices that have been brushed with oil; then, most likely, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and baked until golden brown. 

The crispy crunch makes them irresistible to eat on their own; but resist the urge, as they’re the perfect bread slice for this creamy hot crabmeat topping that’s laden with cheese, chives, pimentos and garlic!

Crab crostini are tasty small-bites to prepare for game day, a cocktail party, lunch or a tasty snack. To make preparation really easy, bake the crostini, mix the topping and refrigerate, beforehand, and simply assemble and bake just before serving.

I bet your crowd would adore these little bites as they taste pretty special!

Hot Garlic Crab Crostini

Ingredients:

1 French baguette, cut into ½” slices (24 slices)

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (6-ounces) crabmeat, well drained and flaked

1 jar (2-ounces) diced pimentos, well drained

2 ounces Swiss chesse, shredded (1/2 cup)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup chive and onion cream cheese spread

¼ teaspoon red pepper sauce

1 tablespoon fresh chives

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small saucepan, combine olive oil, butter and garlic.

Set over medium heat, and cook until butter is melted and mixture bubbles; remove from heat.

Dip the bread slices into the garlic mixture, turning to coat both sides.

Place on baking sheet and bake until very crisp and very light brown, about 5 minutes; turning over once during baking, if underside is not browning.

Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients except chives in medium bowl.

Spread 1 heaping tablespoonful crabmeat mixture on each bread slice.

Bake about 5 minutes or until filling is hot and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with chives.

Ummm, mmm ~ lip-smacking deliciousness!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

Green Onion Crab Cakes

Ask 50 cooks and you’ll get 50 recipes for crab cakes…

Sometimes, they end up tasting like all of the ingredients, except the crab meat.  This crab cake recipe actually brings out the great crab flavor, which is just what it should do, even if it is canned crabmeat.  It’s not exactly a penny pinching meal, so I want it to have the flavor that is intended!

Living here in a small town, just Northwest of Chicago, we don’t have access to the great fresh crab that you all enjoy on the coast lines.  So I am curious ~~~ what type of crab do you think is best, and why?  Is it Maryland Blue Crab or Dungenous Crab in San Francisco?  I just know I’m jealous of all of you that enjoy it fresh!

Maryland blue crab

San Francisco dungeness crab

Our "fresh" crabmeat

These green onion crab cakes are nice and crispy on the outside and tender, moist and chock full of crab meat on the inside.  A good simple meal!

Green Onion Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons green onion tops

3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce

1 teaspoon brown mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells

4 teaspoons milk

6 saltine crackers, finely crushed

¾ cup Panko bread crumbs for coating

3 tablespoons olive oil or butter, for frying

Tartar sauce or lemon wedges

Method:

In a small bowl, combine egg, onions, chili garlic sauce, brown mustard and mayonnaise well.  Set aside.

Lightly break up crabmeat in a medium bowl.

Add milk and toss to coat crabmeat.

Add egg mixture to crabmeat and toss gently.

Add cracker crumbs and combine.

Gather mixture and form into 6 patties.

Coat crab cakes with Panko bread crumbs.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before frying to prevent the crab cakes from falling apart as they cook.

Fry until golden.

Serve with tartar sauce or lemon wedges.

ENJOY!!!

Crab Cakes for Friday

We just wish Maryland blue crabs were available here but, since they aren’t we settled for these crab cakes for dinner last night.

Obviously fresh crab meat would be the best but, canned crab meat is easy to find here, as I am sure it probably is everywhere and it works fine for these crab cakes. 

These crab cakes are made of simple ingredients:  onion, garlic, paprika, Dijon mustard and an egg and bread crumbs to hold them together.  

Just add enough bread crumbs to bring them together.  Shape them into patties very gently, sauté them in a little oil for 5 or 6 minutes on each side until golden and you have a delicious meal ready to eat. 

The crab cakes take very little time to mix together, just 30 seconds and use a light hand when bringing it all together!  These are great crab cakes with lots of flavor and spice!

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups lump crab meat (16 ounce can)

¼ cup Panko or other bread crumbs

1 egg

¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise

½ small onion, diced

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1-2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper, optional

¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup canola oil

Tartar sauce

Method:

Slightly beat egg in a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise.

Add onion, Parmesan cheese, Old Bay seasoning, garlic, paprika, cayenne, mustard, salt and pepper, if desired. 

Add crab meat and bread crumbs.  Mix quickly.

Shape into 5 or 6 crab cakes.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add crab cakes and cook until golden, 5-6 minutes per side.

Drain on paper towel lined plate.

Serve with tartar sauce.

Pam’s note:  I usually place the crab cakes on a plate and set it in the refrigerator for an hour or so before frying.  This allows the mixture to bind. 

Yum!

Happy Friday!

Open-Faced Crab Portobello Sandwich

Last evening, I put the tuna aside and thought crab meat. 

With black olives...

Adding Portobello mushrooms, bacon, Swiss cheese and a few other ingredients, it has the makings of a tasty dish that is a change of pace.  

This recipe has what it takes for a yummy lunch, a light delicious supper or cut into pieces, a savory appetizer.  It’s a great recipe and it just may become your favorite sandwich!

With green olives...

Open-Faced Crab Portobello Sandwich
 
Ingredients: 

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 large Portobello mushrooms

¼ c. finely chopped onions

1 c. crabmeat, shredded

1 c. Swiss cheese, shredded

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

½ c. may0nnaise

½ t. Dijon mustard

8 large green or black olives, sliced

4 halves English muffins

¼ t. cayenne pepper

Method:

Cook bacon crisp.

Slice mushrooms thick, total 4 slices.

Saute mushrooms and onions in drippings. 

Remove mushroom slices, set aside. 

Mix onion with bacon.

Mix crab, Swiss and Parmesan cheese and mustard with mayonnaise.

Add bacon, onion mixture.

Top each muffin with one Portobello.

Spread ¼ of crab mixture on each muffin.

Top with sliced olives and cayenne pepper.

Place on cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, till hot.

Serve and enjoy!