There is a month left in summer and, while I love summer, it's a tad warm. Over 90 here in the Catskills and the humidity hovers near 100. On a day like this, you want something refreshing and packed with flavor, something that can restore that smile on your face. Here's a recipe I first posted a year ago, a dazzling combination that natural pair: corn and crab. On a sizzling night, lots of this dip and a cold beer can be the best way to complete your day. Okay, maybe two beers.
I’ve adapted the recipe from the one in Comfort Foods by Better Homes and Gardens. Do try to get your crab from one of those pictured crab legs, meaty and moist. Canned crab simply does not have the vitality of freshly cooked.
This recipe calls for Monterey Jack with jalapeno, but you can easily use another cheese of your preference and, again if you wish, add some heat with sliced jalapeno or other hot peppers. Adjust the amount of onion, if you desire, and the color as well: red or white instead of green. For some non-jalapeno zip, a single diced clove of garlic can be substituted. A dash or two of hot sauce will simple seal the deal between crab and corn.
If you were to use an abundance of cheese — 2 cups instead of 1, so the bubbly mass at the end is rather fluid, then you have an excellent adornment for baked potatoes.
Roasted Corn and Crab Dip
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup corn kernels, off the cob
- 1 cup chopped red sweet pepper [1 large]
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup cooked crabmeat, cartilage removed
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers [or similar “hot” cheese], about 4 ounces
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup sliced green onion
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Broken tostada shells, toasted baguette-style French bread slices, and/or crackers
Preparation:
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Coat a 1-quart quiche disk or shallow baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat a small cast iron skillet on medium-high and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the corn and red pepper. Cook stirring constantly until the pepper has softened and the corn kernels are still al dente. You goal is to have pepper pieces and corn kernels just past the first point of being comfortably eaten.
In a medium bowl stir together crabmeat, cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions, and black pepper. Stir in the cook pepper and corn. Transfer the mixture to the prepared quiche dish.
Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
Served with the broken tostada shells, toasted bread, or cracker.
Source: modified from Comfort Food by Better Homes and Gardens
Photo Information Canon T2i, EFS 60 mm Macro Lens, F/4 for 1/25th second at ISO‑1600