This Heat is Making Everyone Crabby!

"Later that afternoon, she went out again to check the trap. I must be livin’ right, she said to herself as she counted the number of crabs in the trap. Two would have to go back because they were too small, the other three were keepers. She shook the trap to loosen the crabs into separate buckets of water; if she didn’t separate them they would tear each other apart. Thinking how ironic that was, especially when she was just going to throw them into a big pot of boiling water.

She set a large kettle on the stove filled with water and dumped in a huge amount of Old Bay seasoning. When the water was boiling, she brought the crabs in and put them into the water to cook for about twelve minutes. The smell of the Old Bay was wonderful as it permeated the house.

After the cooked crab cooled, she picked out as much of the meat she could and added it to cream cheese, chopped artichoke hearts, garlic, parmesan cheese, spinach and a number of fresh herbs. She really didn’t have a recipe, but with those ingredients how could it be bad." (Page 32)

Crab and Artichoke Dip

4 Blue Crabs boiled in Old Bay Seasoning for 12 minutes, cool, and get to shucking! It will take some time and don't forget to get all the belly meat.

Add crab to half a block of room temperature Philadelphia Cream Cheese, chop 1 cup of marinated artichokes. Then add sautéed half an onion and one clove of garlic in oil and butter, a mixture of fresh herbs (we used thyme and parsley). Add a generous amount of shredded parmesan, pepper jack and cheddar cheese. Mix all ingredients together and put in oven proof baking dish for 20 minutes at 350 degrees until hot, brown and bubbly. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips or cucumbers.

Panzanella Salad

Croutons: Lightly coat cubed baguette with olive oil, thyme, parsley, oregano, basil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, seasoned salt and black pepper. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until crunchy, crispy and brown.

Combine chopped tomatoes, cucumber and onion with white balsamic vinegar (It might be hard to find but it is definitely worth having in your pantry), good olive oil, seasoned salt and black pepper. Add croutons right before serving to prevent soggy salad.

Serve with well chilled Pascal Jolivet Attitude Rosé.

**The crab was not harmed in the making of this photo. He signed a release allowing the picture in exchange for fresh bunker. He was lovingly placed back into his natural habitat of the Loveladies Lagoons.