Crab Imperial
Crab Imperial (from the Williamsburg Cookbook; recipes are also found on thesides of crab containers)--serves 6
1 lb. backfin crabmeat (I use lump if I can- it's more delicious)
1/2 T pimiento, drained and chopped
1/2 T green pepper, chopped (which I leave out)
1 T butter
Heavy Cream Sauce:
4 T butter
5T all-purpose flour
1 C milk
1/2 t salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 t dry mustard (wasabi might be interesting here)
1 rounded t capers, drained (it's up to you- I'd use the small ones, not
the large Spanish ones)
1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce (I used HP Sauce and it was quite yummy)
salt and pepper to taste
1 C mayonnaise, divided (I used Hellmann's. Were it not that I was also
busy cooking pheasant I would have made my own mayonnaise- and see the note
below)
paprika (Mom says 'red' food looks better)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 10 minutes before the crab is ready to go
in.
Grease 6 individual shallow casseroles (ramekins) or cleaned crab shells (I
used scallop shells)
Pick over the crabmeat and discard any bits of shell or cartilage.
Refrigerate.
Saute the pimiento and green pepper in 1 t of the butter.
Make a heavy cream sauce by melting 4T of the butter in a heavy saucepan
over medium heat and stirring in the flour, milk, and salt. Continue
stirring until the mixture is smooth and thick.
Combine the sauteed vegetables, cream sauce, and other ingredients except
the crabmeat, mayonnaise, and paprika.
Mix in 3/4 C of mayonnaise.
Fold in the crabmeat very gently so that the lumps do not break up.
Spoon into the greased casseroles or shells and spread some of the remaining
mayonnaise on top of each serving (NO. leave it off. It's overkill, in my
opinion).
Bake at 375 F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with
paprka and serve at once (Mom always puts paprika on food befoe it bakes).
Source: alt.food.sushi
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