Cream Of Crab Soup

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Strangely enough, I don’t care for cream-based soups. Keep all your chowders, and cream of mushrooms – I’m a tomato in my soup kinda gal. Jon, my husband, however – LOVES all creamy soups. And, cream of crab is right at the top of his list! The sweet cream and the crab are just perfect together, the flavors mingling and playing off each other.

It’s a quick and easy dinner to make too, which is why I love it – a light roux, a quick saute of some celery and onions, then adding the liquids and thickening. I like to add the crab in the last few minutes of cooking time. You want the meat to remain in chunks, and not disintegrate. Don’t sweat it if it does though,  it will still be delicious!

I usually do not tend to think of soups as elegant dining – but cream of crab definitely is. It’s heavier and filling, so it would be great for dinner served with a green salad. But, served in a cup and saucer it makes an impressive first course. The sherry on top is optional, but I really like the sharp bite it lends to the creamy soup. Enjoy!

Cream of Crab Soup

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 lb crab meat, picked clean for shells
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
Sherry, for drizzling

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the celery and shallot, and cook for a couple of minutes until translucent.

Add the flour, and cook for another couple of minutes.

Add the cream and milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until soup thickens. Once thickened, add the crab meat and reduce to low heat. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls or cups, and drizzle with sherry if desired.

Creamy Crab Dip

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My all time favorite appetizer, hands down. When crab dip is good, it can be soooo good. But, when it’s bad …yowza. I’m fortunate enough to live in a place where a bushel of the bay’s best crabs are just a 30 minute drive on the backroads – to Crisfield, Maryland. You buy them directly off of the boat, for insanely cheap price (well, most of the year anyways. They mark them up Memorial Day and July 4th). Jon has converted a beer keg into a cooking vessel – so we can cook a whole bushel at a time. Combine that with a kegerator in the garage and it makes for one awesome crab feast!

If there are any leftover soldiers, I’ll usually pick them to make a batch of crab dip up the following night. It’s so rich and creamy, it really makes a meal. This recipe was given to me by a very dear friend of the family, who shall go unnamed to maintain her anonymity.  But, I love her forever for sharing it with me. It’s just the right balance of everything, really allowing the crab to shine.

One word of caution though, do not to skimp on crab meat. The plastic tubs are usually okay, but that canned stuff is just whack. No one wants crab meat all the way from Vietnam. Enjoy this one if you can, it’s definitely one of my favorites!

Creamy Crab Dip

1/2 pound fresh crab meat
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
pinch garlic salt
paprika, for garnish

Remove cartilage from crab meat. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, may, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and garlic salt until smooth. Add enough milk to make mixture creamy. Stir in half of grated cheese.  Gently fold crab meat into mixture.

Pour mixture into a 1 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350° until mixture is bubbly and browned on top, about 25 minutes. Serve with crackers and crusty French bread.

Source: originally from Maryland Department of Agriculture

Rosemary Chicken Salad

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I don’t like to brag, but I do make a pretty good chicken salad. Which, is great, because we eat it A LOT of it for lunch or a light dinner during the summer months. There’s usually chicken leftover from one meal or another during the week, or I’m grilling so often it’s no biggie to cook a couple extra chicken breasts to make up a batch.  It keeps great in the fridge for a few days, and makes for an easy and quick lunch during the week.

The fresh rosemary certainly sets it apart from other chicken salads. But, I think the thing that really makes it shine is the addition of honey. I like the hint of sweetness it brings. I like mine on a whole wheat bread, with lots of sprouts on top. However, when served on crostinis, it makes a lovely appetizer.

Rosemary Chicken Salad

1 pound cooked chicken (about 2 cups), shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl by combining mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, and honey. Whisk until combined.

Add in remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Serve on multi-grain bread with desired toppings.

Tzatziki

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I’ve lamented before about my ability (or, lack thereof) to get decent ethnic foods here on the Eastern Shore. One nationality that is well represented on our little island is Greece. I may not be able to get a burrito for 25 miles, but I can get a great gyro! I’ve come around to many Greek favorites in more recent years – feta, kalamata olives, and most importantly, tzatziki. It’s so deliciously cool and refreshing, and pretty much guilt free.

I’ll make a huge batch up whenever I make souvlaki for gyros, and leftovers keep great in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It’s a great afternoon snack, with a few wedges of pita bread. I’ve also discovered that oven fries (I made them with a bit of a Greek flair last time; lots of oregano and garlic) dipped in tzatziki is out of this world. I think it would also be wonderful along side grilled fish.

The key is to make sure you squeeze as much water as possible out of the cucumbers after shredding them. Tzatziki should be a relatively thick consistency. If you like it thinner, add some more red wine vinegar or lemon juice. I like to add a little bit of dill, just because I think it makes it a little prettier, but it’s optional. Dried dill doesn’t have that much flavor, so it’s not like it’s bringing that much to the party. Try this soon, it’s a healthy option that’s still full of flavor and very versatile. Opa!

Tzatziki

1 (32 oz.) container of plain yogurt (preferably NOT fat-free)
2 regular cucumbers, peeled & seeded
3 cloves garlic, crushed (I usually use a microplane for this)
2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
salt and a little pepper
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth over a bowl (if you don’t have that, a strainer lined with a coffee filter will work) for several hours or overnight to get out as much moisture as possible.

Shred or grate the cucumbers, place them in a clean kitchen towel, and then squeeze to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible.

Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. It’s best to refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, so flavors can meld.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the top before serving.

Source: adapted from Elly Says Opa!