I first had something like this Creole Crab Dip on my second visit to New Orleans. We were a large party (about 20 I think) and we probably dropped $3000 on the restaurant that night - and it wasn't a particularly expensive restaurant. The chef had been warned by our host that we were all dedicated eaters so when our drink orders arrived he sent out a complementary amuse bouche - happy mouth. They were single-bite-sized puff pastry cups filled with a Creole crab dip. He wouldn't give us the recipe, but we pretty much figured it out. Not exactly, but close enough - it's hard to stump 20 dedicated foodies. (Larger image.) Makes 1 cup.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Warm cream cheese to room temp.: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. dry sherry (optional)
- 3/4 tsp. Creole seasoning*
- 3 oz. crab meat** (picked over to remove bits of shell)
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion
- 1 Tbsp. capers (optional)
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- Tobasco or Louisiana hot sauce to taste
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients except hot sauce in a small bowl. Season to taste with hot sauce and salt. (Be careful with the hot sauce.) You may also wish to add a bit more buttermilk if you're going to serve it cold.
This dip is good on crackers - even a Ritz - but I like it better stuffed into celery, or endive
*Note 1: If I don't make my own seasoning, I like Tony Cachere's, which contains a fair bit of salt already, but some commercial spice mixtures have more and others less, so taste before salting.
**Note 2: You don't need the expensive lump crab meat, but do get the refrigerated crab in the seafood section of the market and not in a can from the shelf.