Deluxe Stuffed Crabs
Stuffed crabs were universal around New Orleans until the advent of the Maryland crab cake. Those have all but pushed stuffed crabs off the menu everywhere, but a few remain. The best I've had is at the Peppermill, whose version inspires this recipe.
Most people measure the goodness of a stuffed crab by how much crabmeat is in it. This one is studded with jumbo lump, but is about three-fourths bread. How could it still be good? Because the bread tastes like crab, since it's saturated with strong crab stock.
- 1/2 lb. butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 rib celery, chopped
- 3 green onions, tender green parts only, sliced thin
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- 2 cups strong crab stock
- 1/2 loaf stale poor boy French bread, cut into cubes
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
1. Reserve 4 Tbs. butter. Heat the rest of it in a skillet until bubbling. Saute the onions and celery until they begin to brown at the edges.
2. Add the green onions, thyme, salt, pepper, and stock. Stir and bring to a light boil.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bread and the bread crumbs and mix well. Allow to cool.
4. Measure 2 1/2 cups of the bread mixture into a large bowl. Break it up with your fingers. Add the crabmeat. Very gently combine the crabmeat into the bread mixture.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Spoon the stuffing into shells. Melt the remaining butter and brush it over each stuffed crab. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. They will not really brown, but they will start looking toasty.
These are great with hollandaise sauce as an appetizer or by themselves.
Makes about 12-15 stuffed crabs.
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