I grew up eating hot crab dip in the Chesapeake Bay area where it is made with Old Bay Seasoning, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, dry English mustard and white cheddar. I thought it was the ultimate crab dip until I tasted hot crab dip made in New Orleans, where it is made with Cajun seasoning, Louisiana Gold Hot Sauce, Creole mustard and cream cheese. Both versions also contain Parmesan, mayonnaise, onion, and garlic, plus, in NOLA during Mardi Gras, for festive color, they throw in some green and red bell pepper too. When eaten in close proximity to either place, it's made with freshly picked, jumbo lump crabmeat. Both are baked in the oven until puffy and golden and eaten hot with crackers or French bread: in the bay area, it is usually served with thin crackers called "water biscuits", and, in Louisiana they head for the airy, French baguette.
Chesapeake = Old Bay Seasoning, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, dry English mustard & cheddar.
Louisiana = Cajun Seasoning, Louisiana Gold Hot Sauce, Creole mustard & cream cheese.
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, the best available
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely-grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup each: finely-diced green bell pepper, red bell pepper and sweet onion
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons lemon juice, preferably fresh or high-quality, Organic not-from-concentrate
2 teaspoons Louisiana Gold hot sauce
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
no-stick cooking spray, for preparing au gratin dish
2 10-12-ounce French baguettes, torn or sliced, for serving (tearing, topping & eating is lots of fun) or crackers
additional Louisiana Gold hot sauce, for drizzling on top at tableside
~Step 1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the crabmeat (don't add crabmeat at this time), in a large bowl. Using a large rubber spatula, thoroughly combine. Gently fold in the crabmeat, so as not to break or mash it into little bits and pieces, meaning: so it remain in large lumps.
~ Step 2. Transfer to a 9" round au gratin dish (a 9" glass pie plate will work fine too), mounding the mixture slightly towards the center. Bake, uncovered, on center rack of preheated 325° oven, 30-35 minutes. Crab dip will be puffed up in the center, lightly golden on the top and slightly bubbly around the edges. Remove from oven and cool about 10-15 minutes prior to serving with French bread and additional hot sauce at tableside.
Remove from oven & cool 10-15 minutes prior to serving...
... warm w/Bloody Mary's, cocktails, white wine or champagne:
Slightly-Spice Creamy Cajun-Creole Hot Crab Dip: Recipe yields 6-8 servings as an appetizer.
Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula; 9" round au gratin dish or glass pie plate
Cook's Note: My ~ Crunchy Crabmeat Crostini ~ recipe, along with its drizzly secret sauce, is a spin-off of my Maryland crab cake sandwich recipe (pictured here). As we cooks all know, it's not uncommon to turn one dish into two or three slightly different ones. That said, if your looking for a crab cake sandwich, made the Maryland way, I suggest you try my recipe for ~ My Maryland Crabcake, Tomato & Mayo Sandwich ~. By all means, use this recipe to make my crostini.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2021)
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