« Recipes Home
Maryland Crab Imperial in a Scallop Shell
by Rebecca Bent
I have been eating Crab Imperial since I was a kid. It’s a family favorite. My grandmother Edna said the secret is to generously coat the crabmeat with a little more mayonnaise than you would think. The mayonnaise melts in the oven creating a real buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with Maryland crabmeat. I like to serve Crab Imperial on top of a scallop shell but you can also use a crab shell mold, or a real shell, which is cute.
This recipe is just as delicious prepared in a baking dish and then scooped out like dip and served on fresh crusty bread.
- ½ cup crushed up oyster crackers
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup of really good mayonnaise
- 1 pound Maryland crabmeat picked over for shells. Backfin is great.
- 8 2.5 oz scallop shells, cleaned and dried
- paprika
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the breadcrumbs, butter, cream, egg, Old Bay, Worcestershire, and ½ cup of the mayonnaise. Mix well. Gently fold in the crabmeat and form the mixture into 8 parts. Avoid over mixing.
Arrange the scallop shells on a sheet pan. Load each shell with a mound of crabmeat, being careful not to over pack. Spread the remaining ½ cup of mayonnaise over the crab mounds until it is completely covered. Sprinkle generously with paprika. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
« Recipes Home
|