Crab Almond Delight Recipes

CRAB DELIGHTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine crabmeat, cheese spread, butter or margarine, mayonnaise, garlic salt, and parsley. Mix well, and spread on English muffins. Cut the muffins into quarters and arrange them on a cookie sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Broil the muffins for the last minute to get them toasted.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB WITH PRESERVED LEMON AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Season the flour for dredging: mix together flour, cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika and salt in a shallow bowl. Quickly dip both sides of the crabs in flour mixture and shake off excess.
• Put 4 tablespoons melted butter in a large, wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When butter is hot, carefully put in the crabs, top side down. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until well crisped and cooked through. Remove crabs to a warmed platter. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Add 4 more tablespoons melted butter to pan and add sliced almonds. Stir to coat and cook until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add preserved lemon and cilantro and turn off heat.
• Spoon butter sauce over crabs, surround with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

CRAB DELIGHT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease a 2-quart, glass baking dish.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat and whisk in flour. Pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and whisk until smooth, return to heat.
• Add cheese and stir until creamy. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining cream. Stir in wine, paprika, crabmeat, and spinach. Season with garlic, salt, rosemary, and thyme. Mix in the onion and mushrooms.
• Pour into prepared casserole dish.
• Top with bread crumbs. Drizzle 1 tablespoon melted butter over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.

ALMOND FLOUR CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON AIOLI

Steps:

• Make the crab cakes: Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, egg, egg yolk and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Mix in 2 cups of almond meal, scallions and herbs until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in crab. Season with salt and white pepper, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the aioli: Combine egg yolks, mustard, garlic and lemon zest and juice in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. With machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil a few drops at a time until the mixture begins to thicken. Gradually increase the oil to a thin, steady stream, blending to a uniform creamy consistency. If aioli breaks, drizzle in a little lukewarm water a few drops at a time until consistency is reached again. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Will keep 2 days or more in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Mix remaining 2/3 cup almond meal and cornmeal in a pie plate and season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide crab mixture into 12 equal portions and form into 2-inch patties. Coat in almond-cornmeal mixture.
• Heat 1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Cook crab cakes in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crisp, wiping out the skillet and adding fresh oil between the batches. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray. Crab cakes can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.

RED PEPPER CRAB CROQUETAS WITH GARLIC-ALMOND SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute without browning. Gradually whisk in milk, 1/4 cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, thick sauce. Turn heat to low, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Thin if necessary with a tablespoon or so more milk, but keep it the consistency of whipped cream.
• Make the crab mixture: Put crab meat in a mixing bowl and add warm béchamel. Stir in roasted peppers, cayenne, scallions, cilantro, and lemon zest and mix gently until ingredients are well incorporated. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning. Spread mixture on a baking sheet in a layer about 1 inch thick, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (The crab mixture can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated.)
• Assemble the croquetas: Arrange 3 small shallow bowls on a work counter. Add 1 cup of flour to one bowl, then season it with salt and pepper. In second, add the beaten eggs. Fill the third bowl with bread crumbs. Weigh 1-ounce portions of the crab mixture and place on wax paper. Roll each portion in seasoned flour, then dip into egg and finally roll in crumbs, forming each gently into a sphere. Put breaded croquetas on a clean baking sheet and sprinkle with more crumbs. Repeat until all are breaded. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to fry.
• Make the garlic-almond sauce: Put almonds in a food processor and blend thoroughly, until finely ground. Add garlic and pulse to combine. With the food processor running, add a faint drizzle of olive oil as sauce thickens. The oil must be added very slowly or the sauce will separate or break. Continue adding the oil until it is all incorporated. Season sauce with salt to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• To fry croquetas, pour vegetable oil to depth of 2 inches in a wide, deep saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring oil to 375 degrees. Working in small batches, fry croquetas on each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. (Too many in the pan risks significantly lowering the temperature of the oil.) Remove croquetas with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and keep warm in a low oven. Repeat until all croquetas are fried. Pile them on a serving platter and serve with garlic-almond sauce for dipping.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In flat dish, combine the milk, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Blend well. Add the crabs, turning them over to coat well with the milk.
• Place the flour in a flat dish and remove the crabs from the milk. Dredge them in the flour. Shake to remove any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet. Place six crabs in the pan and cook them over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned on one side. Turn and cook until golden brown on the other side. The total cooking time is about 6 or 7 minutes depending on the thickness. Transfer to a warm serving platter and keep warm. Add remaining vegetable oil to pan and repeat the procedure with the other crabs.
• Pour off the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels. Add the butter and olive oil, add the shallots and sliced almonds and cook until lightly browned, shaking the pan. When the oil is bubbling, add the lemon juice and pour the mixture over the crabs. Sprinkle with parsley.

CRAB & CREAM CHEESE DELIGHT

Steps:

• Mix crab meat and cream cheese together. Spread into a 9 inch size pie pan or similiar size dish. Pour cocktail sauce over crab meat mixture to cover completely. Sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors. Serve with assorted crackers.