Eastern Shore Crab Imperial Recipes

CRAB IMPERIAL

Steps:

• Saute green pepper in butter until translucent, but not brown.
• Add to crabmeat, salt and pepper. Stir in mustard, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce. Put in buttered casserole. Top with bread crumbs, a few pats of butter, and sprinkle with crab boil seasoning. Bake for 25 minutes in a preheated 375 degree F. oven.

CRAB IMPERIAL II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, and beaten egg.. Mix thoroughly.
• In an 8" pie dish, spread mixture and lightly coat the entire dish with bread crumbs. Then sprinkle the top with paprika. Dot the dish with the butter.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.

EASTERN SHORE CRAB IMPERIAL

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat 6 large scallop shellswith nonstick cooking spray or, if you prefer, lightly coat a 6-cup au gratin pan or shallow casserole; set aside. Place the crab in a medium-size mixing bowl and set aside also.
• 2. Tear the bread into small chunks, letting them drop into a mini food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Using 3 to 4 brisk pulses, reduce to moderately coarse crumbs. Drizzle the melted butter over all and pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate. The crumbs should now be moderately fine. Tip onto a piece of wax paper and reserve.
• 3. Add the parsley, salt, black pepper, and cayenne to the processor (no need to wash the bowl or blade), and pulse briskly 3 to 5 times until the parsley is coarsely chopped.
• 4. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and churn until smooth, about 5 seconds. Scoop on top of the crab and toss lightly to mix.
• 5. Mound the crab mixture in the scallop shells or spread evenly in the augratin dish, and scatter the buttered crumbs on top.
• 6. Bake uncovered on the middle oven rack until bubbling and touched with brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• 7. Serve at once, accompanying with a tartly dressed salad of greens. Roasted asparagus spears also make a delicious accompaniment.

MISS SHIRLEY'S EASTERN SHORE CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium-size bowl combine the first 7 ingredients.
• Now gently fold in the breadcrumbs and the egg mixture being careful not to break lumps thenshape into 12 slightly flattened balls, chilling them for at least an hour.
• Fry by pouring oil into the skillet to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Heat the oil to 370° and fry the crab cakes, a couple at a time, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
• To broil:.
• Place crab cakes under a preheated broiler, turning to cook evenly, until nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• Serve with soda crackers and tartar sauce.

CRAB IMPERIAL (BALTIMORE STYLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Melt butter in a heavy small saucepot over medium heat. Add shallot and stir until very lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Blend in flour, white pepper and mace and stir 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add half-and-half, egg yolks, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sherry and cook until thick and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt, and gently fold crabmeat into sauce, being careful not to break up chunks.
• Fill either shells, oven-proof shells, ramekins, or small oven-proof bowls.
• Sprinkle tops with paprika.
• Place onto a cookie sheet and bake until mixture is bubbling, about 12 to 15 minutes, and serve immediately.