Crab Dip Baked with Old Bay and Ritz Crackers
We made this the first time with canned fresh crab and it was good but we made this for NY with fresh Dungeness crab that Peggy clean by hand, not an easy feat but you could taste it and the sparkling wine loved it but it works fine with either. This recipe doubles easily and the whole thing can be assembled and refrigerated up to a day in advance before being baked. We like it with a good loaf of sliced bagget, toasted or not.
Crab Dip Baked with Old Bay and Ritz Crackers
Servings: 6-8
Cook time: 35 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter, for greasing the baking dish
- 8 Oz / fresh lump or jumbo lump crab meat
- 4 Oz / cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup / grated Parmesan
- 3 Tbsp / mayonnaise
- 1/2 Tsp / fresh lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Scallion, trimmed and minced, plus more for serving
- 3/4 Tso / Old Bay seasoning, plus more for serving
- 1/2 Tsp / kosher salt
- 1/4 cup / crushed Ritz crackers (from about 7 crackers), plus more whole crackers
- Sliced English cucumbers (or not) and other crackers, for serving
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a shallow, 2-cup capacity baking dish or ovenproof skillet with butter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crab meat, cream cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, scallion, Old Bay and salt; mix with a fork until thoroughly combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and the crushed Ritz crackers; sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dip.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top. Dust lightly with Old Bay, sprinkle with a few minced scallions, and serve hot with sliced cucumbers and crackers.