Sunday Small Bites - Crab

The Sunday Slow Cooks  are a group of cooks from the slow travel community message board. We have been bakers, scoopers, soupers, and tossers (yes, I know that is a derogatory term in some parts of the world ! LOL) No we have taken on a new challenge - instead of each of us preparing the same recipe each week, we are preparing our own appetizer - or Small Bite - that uses a single main ingredient. Last week's ingredient was shrimp. This week Ida selected crab.

Crab is one of those things that I love to order when I'm out but rarely use when I'm cooking at home. In fact, other than steaming some crab legs, setting out some giant crab claws on ice for a fancy party, or whipping up my famous crab stuffed mushrooms I just don't use it at all.

I was tempted to make my favourite crab cakes. Recalling that I had tackled shrimp cakes LAST week I really wasn't that keen to do this technique again. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE crab cakes and could eat them all of the time but part of the challenge is to try new things and to push your cooking envelope a bit.

Then I decided to make a crab dip.

Yes, a crab dip. Fine - YOU may have made a gazillion crab dips over the years but we have made exactly 1 warm, gooey, cheesy, appetizer dip in our entire combined cooking years (and there was no crab in sight in that dip). This was new ground for US! LOL

We searched the internet, found a few recipes out there that looked interesting and combined them to arrive at this one. This dip recipe is a bit different that the ones you see out there - one doesn't just grate cheese, open up a few cans, and toss the combined mess into the oven. The dipped turned out to be really amazing! It was nice and warm and gooey and creamy and tasty. The crab added that extra bit of flavour and a texture that just sent it over the edge. We will definitely be making this again!

Warning - if you are looking for low calorie - avert your eyes! I had a taste, enjoyed it, and then made sure Paul and mom ate the rest! LOL

Enjoy

Hot Cheesy Crab Dip

1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup baby spinach (packed)
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream
chili sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 parmigiano reggiano (grated)
1/2 cup mozzarella (grated)
1/2 cup cheddar (grated)
1/2 cup artichoke hearts (chopped)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (chopped)
1 cup crab meat, cleaned
2 green onions (chopped)

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and spinach and heat until the spinach wilts, about 1-2 minutes.

Process the spinach, cream cheese, sour cream, chili sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor until mixed.

Mix in the artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, crab, green onion, parmigiano reggiano, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese.

Place the mixture into a baking dish.

Bake in a preheated 350 F oven until bubbling and golden brown on top, about 20-30 minutes.

Comments

[Barb Cabot]

Jerry, rich and gooey and just the way I like things. Thanks.

[Eden]

OMG! This sounds so wonderfully delicious. A must try. Thank you for sharing.

[Cindy Ruth]

A warm gooey crab dip. Always delicious, and yours seems to fit into that category. I'm trying to make make small bites all healthy-we'll see how long that lasts.

[Deborah]

Wow, you were't kidding about the high calories. But, I'm SO going to make this. What's not to love about four different cheeses AND crab?

[JDeQ]

LOL @ Barb - this is a great 'pick-me-up' dish.

Enjoy Eden - I wish I could get the great crab that you can get in your neck of the woods.

Cindy - I have decided tat ererything is healthy in moderation. This philosophy (combined with exercise) has allowed me to drop - and keep off - close to 60 pounds so it must be working.

I'm with you on the cheese and crab Deborah - who knew it went so well together?

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

This looks like a keeper to me!
Yummy~

[JDeQ]

Sandi - I bet you have a file box full of delicious crab dips by now! LOL