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Crab Dip

Source of Recipe

From "Bon Appétit, Y'all" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"The Eastern seaboard—especially the Chesapeake Bay—is riddled with shallow muddy inlets of brackish water, the perfect home for blue crabs. Grades of crabmeat depend on which part of the crab the meat is from and the size of the pieces. Jumbo lump is the most expensive and is composed of the largest pieces of white body meat. Lump crab is next and is harvested from the back fin. Flake is the smallest pieces of white body meat. Claw meat is darker meat from the claw and is the least expensive. Look for fresh or pasteurized crab in your seafood department and avoid the canned, shelf-stable product. Serve this dip with water crackers or toasted slices of baguette."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the dish
â—¦ 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 2 tablespoons dry white wine
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, chervil, or tarragon)
â—¦ 1 pound jumbo lump or lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage
â—¦ ½ cup fresh or panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs


Recipe

Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler element. Preheat the broiler. Butter a medium gratin dish.

To make the dip, combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne pepper in a double boiler over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and herbs and stir until smooth. Using a large spatula, fold in the crabmeat, taking care not to break the lumps. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler. Serve warm.

Makes about 3 cups



• Making Ahead:
Instead of a double boiler, combine the ingredients in the gratin dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook. When ready to cook, remove from the refrigerator and let warm to room temperature. Top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350° F until heated through, bubbling, and golden brown, about 25 minutes.