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Spicy Crab Dip with Chile-Butter Toasts

Source of Recipe

From "Cravings: All Together" by Chrissy Teigen


Recipe Introduction

"Speaking as someone who currently has the remnants of this stuff in the corners of her mouth, allow me to AVIDLY vouch for this crab dip as the best damn crab dip you will EVER enjoy. I mean, I know writing cookbooks pretty much means bragging about how everything *you* make is theeeee single way everyone should make things, but that really goes for this crab dip. Now, while many crab dips hold the trinity key (is that a thing?) that is cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo, I don't think you'll find too many using the umami bomb that is fish sauce (bye-bye Worcestershire). Jumbo lump crab meat can be damn expensive, but if you can find it at a reasonable price or even use imitation, I have no problem saying that this is a dip worth taking home to your friends in Maryland. And I don't say that often. Trust me."

List of Ingredients

Dip:
â—¦ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 3 tablespoons sour cream
â—¦ 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
â—¦ ½ cup (1 ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
â—¦ 1 tablespoon hot sauce (preferably Cholula)
â—¦ 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
â—¦ ½ to 1 teaspoon fish sauce, depending on how salty you like things
â—¦ 1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced, plus greens for garnish
â—¦ 1 pound lump crabmeat (the bigger the lumps the pricier, so just get what works for you!), drained if necessary

Topping:
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
â—¦ 30 Ritz crackers (one sleeve)
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Toasts:
â—¦ ½ small baguette
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ 1 tablespoon hot sauce (again, Cholula)


Recipe

Make the dip: Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, and cheeses until smooth. Now stir in the hot sauce, Old Bay, fish sauce, and sliced scallion until incorporated. Then stir in the crab (the more you stir, the more broken up the crab will be). Spread the dip in an ovenproof 8-inch square dish (glass, ceramic, metal—all work).

Make the topping and bake the dip: Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave in 30-second zaps until just melted. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter with the Old Bay. Crush the crackers straight into the bowl, leaving some bigger pieces. Add the cheese and toss to blend. Top the dip with the cracker mix and bake until the top is golden and toasty, 18 to 20 minutes.

Make the toasts: When the dip comes out of the oven, preheat the broiler. Cut the baguette into ¼-inch-thick slices and arrange on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the butter and hot sauce and brush the toasts with the spicy butter. Broil until golden and the edges are dark. Serve with the dip, garnished with scallion greens.

Serves 10 to 12