Christmas Eve Crab Sauce Recipes

OVEN-ROASTED CRAB "BUON NATALE"

Steps:

• Crack the crab reserving the juices and tomalley. Set aside.
• Make the tomalley sauce by pushing the tomalley through a sieve with a wooden spoon into a small pot. Add the chili flakes, thyme, garlic, and lemon juice. Mix in the reserved crab juices and bring to a quick simmer over low heat. Give it a final quick stir and remove the pan from the heat. Pour the tomalley mixture into a small mixing bowl and allow it to cool. (Start roasting the crab once the tomalley sauce is cooling.) As soon as the tomalley sauce feels lukewarm to the touch, add the mayonnaise or aioli along with the salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or thyme, if you like.
• Put a rack in the middle or lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• On the stove, in a large oven-proof saute pan or casserole, heat the butter, olive oil, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest over medium-high heat until hot. Add crab pieces and season with salt, pepper, to taste, and mix well. Put the pan in the oven and cook until the crab is hot throughout and the garlic is golden brown. (Watch carefully; the crab heats very quickly and at 500 degrees F the garlic can burn easily.) Remove the crab from the oven, drizzle with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and scatter the parsley over the top.
• To serve, stack the crab on a platter and drizzle with the tomalley sauce or serve the tomalley sauce in a small bowl and allow your guests to help themselves. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges and slices of garlic-rubbed toast. Serve immediately.

CHRISTMAS EVE CRAB SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Wash and clean and thoroughly drain shellfish. 2. Crush crabshell (only) and boil in 4 cups water for 2 hours. 3. Strain crabshell and keep all liquid. 4. Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent. Stir. 5. Add tomato puree and tomato paste. Sautee for few minutes. Stir. 6. Add 1 (15 oz can) water and 3 (6 oz) cans of water and the water left over from the crab shell. Stir. 7. Add salt and pepper to taste, parsley, oregano and bay leaf. Stir. 8. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to bottom. 9. Add crab, shrimp and calamari and simmer for 2 minutes. Add basil. Stir. 10. Serve over thoroughly drained vermicelli. Make sure each dish gets a lot of shellfish on it. 11. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Will Serve 8 people.

ITALIAN BLUE CRAB SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a large stockpot, cover the bottom of the pot with the EVOO.
• Once heated, saute the garlic, crushed red pepper, parsley and basil.
• Add in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add in the crab and simmer with the lid partially covered for several hours.
• Remove from heat and cool. Put back in refrigerator and allow to sit overnight.
• 1 hour before serving, take out and simmer again on the stove.
• Remove crabs to allow to cool. Serve sauce over spaghetti.
• Once the pasta course is complete, serve the whole crabs and pick out the meat. UNBELIEVABLE!

CRAB SUPREME

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, saute onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in the milk. Add chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the crab, mayonnaise and hot pepper sauce., Transfer to a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Melt the remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over crab mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with paprika.

CREAMY CRAB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Blend cheese, mustard, worcheshire sauce and sour cream till smooth.
• Stir in celery and onion.
• Fold in crab meat.
• Put into quiche dish that has been sprayed with Pam.
• Sprinkle with Old Bay or paprika.
• Bake at 350 degress for 35-40 minutes.
• I always double, and sometime even triple, this recipe.

CHRISTMAS SEAFOOD CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet, and saute the onions and celery until tender.
• Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat, and mix in the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons butter until well blended. Gradually blend the cheese into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium bowl, mix the onions and celery with the cheese sauce mixture. Toss in the crabmeat, lobster, shrimp, and scallops. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until the seafood is opaque and the surface is lightly browned.