Crab Benedict

Crab Benedict

Serves: 2

4 eggs, poached

2 English muffins, split & toasted

1 cup crab meat 

1 avocado, ripe cut into ¼ inch slices

Hollandaise sauce, see below

Chives, finely sliced for serving

• Top each muffin half with avocado, crab and then poached egg

• Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with chives

• Serve

Blender Hollandaise

10 tablespoons salted butter

3 egg yolks

Juice of ½ lemon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne 

• Put egg yolks, lemon juice and cayenne into a blender, and blend on medium until slightly thickened and pale yellow – about 30 seconds

• Melt Finlandia butter on low in a small pot - don't let it burn

• Turn on blender on and slowly drizzle in melted butter

• Blend until everything is mixed and the hollandaise has thickened

WATCH ME MAKE IT

View fullsize

---

SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP JAMBALAYA

Serves 4-6

Remember in Seinfeld when Newman gets his hands on the jambalaya?

• 1 cup each diced celery, onion and green pepper

• 1 pound fully-cooked chorizo or andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4” slices

• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 cup white rice

• 1 tablespoon creole or Old Bay seasoning

• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced

• 1 pound raw, peeled & de-veined shrimp

• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet (that has a lid) on medium high, add about a tablespoon of oil and when hot put in celery, onion and green pepper - cook until softened and just until they get some color, about 5 minutes

2. Add sausage and cook 5 minutes or until it starts to brown

3. Add garlic and when fragrant, add creole or old bay and stir well to mix through

4. Add rice, stirring really well and let toast a couple minutes, then add broth, tomatoes and mix well

5. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes

6. Add shrimp, stir well and cover again - and in about 5 minutes the shrimp should be perfect or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is soft

7. Add parsley and serve!

Grilled Polenta with Crab

Serves 4 as appetizer

Perfect summer appetizer – totally delicious & simple crab salad on grilled polenta, you can have this on the table n 20 minutes, easy! 

INGREDIENTS

• Makes about 20 rounds
• 1 polenta chub
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 green onion chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• Kosher salt & pepper
• 1  1/2 cups fresh crab meat
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

• Pre-heat grill pan to medium/high
• Slice polenta into 1/4 inch thick rounds
• Lightly drizzle with olive oil, season with Kosher salt and pepper & cook on grill pan until crispy and well marked, 5-7 minutes on each side
• In a bowl mix diced green onions, red pepper, chili sauce, lime juice, pinch salt and crab meat
• Spoon some crab mixture on each round, top with a slice of avocado and wee bit of cilantro. 

King Crab Legs

Serves 2

This is a great opening to a romantic meal for two. Don't be put off thinking crab is difficult to deal with - it's not.

Ingredients

• 1 pound King crab legs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Cut the stick of butter in half and put each half into a small bowl - don't do anything with it yet
2. Break each leg into 2 - 4 pieces - depending on how long they are (pieces should be about 5 - 6 inches long)
3. Fold 3 paper towels in half, so they're sort of 1 1/2 paper towels long and lightly dampen with water then wrap around the crab legs (these are already cooked...we're just warming them)
4. Place the bundle in the microwave for 2 minutes
5. Remove the crab, and while you're putting it onto a platter, put the butter bowls into the crow to melt - about 30 seconds I think
6. Remove bowls and add the pepper to one and the chili powder to the other
7. Open the shells, get to the meat and dip into your favorite butter sauce (but be sure to try both before you decide)

Avocado & Crab Benedict

Serves 2

Buy decent crab - and that doesn't mean having to go down to the docks.  You can great crab at the supermarket - look for the pasteurized kind in the refrigerated section. 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, poached
• 2 English muffins, split & toasted
• 1/2 cup crab meat - crab with a 'c', not a 'k'
• 1 avocado, ripe
• 1/2 cup hollandaise sauce, no need to make it - you can buy it
• Old Bay Seasoning

Directions

1. Top English Muffins with avocado and then poached eggs
2. Top eggs with crab and then with hollandaise sauce
3. Sprinkle each with Old Bay seasoning

Crab Omelet

Makes 1

Being a guy, of course I like eggs. And if I was single, this would be my "hey, know what I could make for you tomorrow morning' kinda of pick-up-line. But I'm married and would never use a line like that. Honest honey...

Ingredients

• 2 tablepoons red bell pepper, diced fine
• 2 eggs, beaten well
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Butter (or olive oil)
• 1/3 cup crab meat
• 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Preheat nonstick skillet over medium heat
2. Add the red pepper and a smidge of olive oil and cook until slightly softened
3. Meanwhile beat the eggs well and add some freshly ground black pepper to taste
4. Melt about a teaspoon or so of butter (or put the oil) in the pan and pour the eggs over the red bell pepper
5. Cook the eggs by pulling them away from the sides of the pan so the raw egg runs underneath to cook
6. Once the egg is somewhat set add your crab and cheese
7. Fold the omelet in half and continue to cook so that the crab heats in the center, the cheese gets melty and the eggs finish cooking
8. Place the omelet on a plate and sprinkle with a little more freshly ground black pepper

Bacon Beer Cheese Dip

Makes a bunch

Cheese & beer & bacon. Really, do you need anything else?

Ingredients

• 6-8 pieces bacon
• 4-5 green onions, white & light green parts, chopped fine
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Approx 6 ounces beer (I like something hoppy, like an IPA)
• Something to dip - bread would be good here

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a small pot until crisp, remove from pan and set aside on paper towels
2. Remove most of the grease, and add green onions until softened, then put back in bacon, cream cheese, Velveeta, Worcestershire, Montreal seasoning, green onions and beer
3. Cook on low until all is combined and melted - serve with something to dip

TIP: You can easily sub the bacon for fresh crab, for a Crab Beer Cheese Dip.