Maryland Style Crab Imperial Recipes

TRADITIONAL MARYLAND CRAB IMPERIAL RECIPE

Steps:

• Add butter, flour, and milk to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat, while stirring, until it's well blended and thickens. Allow to cool slightly.
• Transfer your white sauce to a large bowl and mix in the crab meat, beaten egg, pimiento, mayonnaise, dry mustard, salt & pepper.
• Place mixture into 4 crab shells, scallop shells, or individual baking dishes.
• Sprinkle equal amounts of bread crumbs, Old Bay Seasoning, & thin slices of butter to cover the tops of each serving.
• Bake in 350 degree fahrenheit oven for approximately 15 minutes. Then turn your oven on broil for 3 to 4 minutes, while keeping a close eye on them, to brown the tops.

MARYLAND STYLE CRAB IMPERIAL

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, egg, sugar, old bay, lemon juice and parsley together and blend well, this is your imperial sauce.
• Gently fold crabmeat into, imperial sauce, being careful not to break up crab meat.
• place portions in the baking dish of your choice, using ramekins or small casserole dishes
• Spinkle tops of crab imperial with old bay or paprika.
• Bake in 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes (top will turn golden brown) or until a thermometer gets an internal reading of 165 degrees
• Allow to cool just a few minutes before serving, it will set and be more flavorful as it cools slightly.

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.

MARYLAND CRAB IMPERIAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion and stir until very lightly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Blend in flour, ground red pepper, white pepper and mace and stir 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add milk,half and half, and sherry and cook until thick and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat;stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt; set aside.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add crab and cook 1 minute, being careful not to break up chunks.
• Gently fold sauce into crab.
• Spoon mixture into 5 or 6 cup au gratin dish.
• * Recipe can be prepared 2 to 3 hours ahead to this point. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate immediately.
• Sprinkle top with paprika.
• Bake until mixture is bubbling and lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• * If crab has been prepared ahead and chilled, cooking time may increase to 20-25 minutes.
• Serve immediately.