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Texas Crabgrass

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Snacks" by Perre Coleman Magness


Recipe Introduction

"I found this recipe in a compilation of community cookbooks when I owned my first small home. I made it for parties all the time: the expensive and rare (at the time) crabmeat seemed impossibly chic and gourmet. Sometimes I served it in a sterling silver chafing dish borrowed from a friend who'd inherited it from her great-grandmother. I felt like a real grown-up serving this dish with uniformly browned toast points or delicate pastry shells. Truth is, it's just as good with corn chips."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 (12-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
â—¦ ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 medium white onion, finely diced
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ ¼ cup Marsala wine
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
â—¦ 8 ounces pasteurized lump crabmeat
â—¦ ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 2 tablespoons heavy cream
â—¦ Dash or two or hot sauce (such as Crystal)
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Recipe

Cook the spinach according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander, pressing out as much liquid as you can.

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until soft and translucent, but do not let them brown. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the Marsala, nutmeg, and cooked spinach. Add the crabmeat and use a fork to combine everything well. A fork helps to break up the crab and evenly distribute the spinach. Add the Parmesan and the cream, and stir to combine. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt, and pepper.

Scoop the spread into a casserole dish. The dish can be made up to a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated at this point. When ready to serve, reheat the spread in a 350° oven until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately or transfer to a chafing dish. Serve with hearty crackers or baguette slices, or a little phyllo pastry cups for filling.

Serves 12 to 14