Crab Appetizers
In addition to main dishes, crab meat lends itself very well to
appetizers. Below are two worthy dishes to serve as appetizers. What makes both of them
appealing is that they can be prepared in advance, put in the refrigerator, and then
brought out to cook in the oven when needed.
Toasted Crab Appetizers:
- l stick butter or margarine
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1 5-6 oz. jar Old English Cheese Spread
- 6-8 oz crabmeat
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 6 English muffins
Soften the butter to room temperature while preheating the oven to
350 degrees. Mix the cheese spread into the butter and stir in the mayonnaise. Add garlic
powder and stir until all is completely blended - no lumps. Gently stir in crabmeat. Slice
the muffins in half and divide the crab mixture on the 12 halves. Cut each half into
quarters and place them on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and
the edges are brown. Serve at once. The spread can be made in advance and refrigerated for
a couple of days. These may also be frozen before cooking for later use. Make the muffins
up and cut into quarters. Freeze them on cookie sheets, and then place them in the freezer
in zip-loc bags for storage. They will keep a month or two without losing much flavor.
Hot Crab Dip:
- 1 pound crabmeat
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dill
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Blend together all of the ingredients, except the crabmeat, with a
fork until all is smooth with no lumps. It will be easier if you allow the cream cheese to
come to room temperature. Fold in the crab and transfer everything to an ovenproof serving
dish. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve with
your favorite crackers. Serves 6-8 as an appetizer. The mix can be prepared in advance and
refrigerated for a day or so.
