Deviled Crab

This deviled crab recipe is a great appetizer or entree. Crab meat is mixed with lots of seasonings, topped with buttered breadcrumbs, and baked.

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced green pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced parsley
• 1.5 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Dash Tabasco
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 pound fresh or pasteurized crabmeat (either select or lump grades, picked over to remove all bits of shell)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fine fresh breadcrumbs
• Parsley sprigs
• Lemon wedges

Steps

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Put the mayonnaise in a bowl and whisk in the onions, green peppers, parsley, dry mustard , Worcestershire sauce , Tabasco, cayenne, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cover the bowl and put aside for about 15 minutes so for the flavors can marry.
3. Gently fold in the crab.
4. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet and add the breadcrumbs. Cook over low heat until just golden, adding a little more melted butter if it seems too dry. Scrape into a bowl and let cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Arrange the natural or ceramic crab shells or ramekins on a baking sheet.
6. Divide the crab mixture among the containers, mounding it a bit in the center so that each serving looks generous.
7. Divide the buttery breadcrumbs evenly over each serving.
8. Place the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and bake until bubbly and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Serve hot with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges.
10. Enjoy. Source: by Bruce Beck (E. P. Dutton). Reprinted with permission.