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New Year's: Crabmeat Mousse

Source of Recipe

From "Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook" by Sheila Lukins, Julee Rosso


Recipe Introduction

"A light variation on our favorite salmon mousse - fresh lump crabmeat is always the most luxurious. Serve as an hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, or light lunch. Fresh dill and chives sparkle the flavor."

List of Ingredients

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ cup boiling water
• ½ cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp finely snipped fresh or freeze-dried chives
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 Tbsp grated onion
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Dash Tabasco sauce
• ¼ tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups flaked lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• Fresh dill sprigs (garnish)


Recipe

Soften the gelatin in the cold water in a large mixing bowl for 3 minutes.
Stir in the boiling water and slowly whisk until the gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.
Add the mayonnaise, chives, chopped dill, onion, lemon juice, Tabasco, paprika, and salt and whisk until completely blended. Refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

Fold the crabmeat into the gelatin mixture. Whip the cream in a separate bowl until it forms soft peaks and fold gently into the crab mixture.

Remove the mixture into a medium-sized bowl or decorative 6- to 8-cup mold. Refrigerate, covered, at least 4 hours.
Unmold the mousse onto a serving platter and garnish with dill sprigs. Serve with black bread or crackers, or spoon into ripe avocado halves and serve as a first course.

Makes 12 generous appetizer portions.