Crab Stuffed Manicotties

One Package Manicotti

8 oz Crab Meat

8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese

Juice and Zest of one Lemon

3 Garlic Cloves, grated

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup Green Onion, chopped

1 cup Fontina Cheese, shredded

Wine Sauce

1/2 stick Butter

1/2 cup White Wine

1/2 cup Half and Half

Fresh Black Pepper

Pinch of Nutmeg

Cook Manicotti according to directions. 

Mix the rest of the ingredients together, but the fontina cheese and reserving some green onion for topping cooked manicotti.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Preheat a skillet, melt the butter, add the white wine, and cook until reduced by half.  Add half and half, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook until reduced in half again.

Pour some sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Stuff pasta with the crab filling, makes 11-12. Pour the rest of the sauce over the stuffed pasta and top it with shredded Fontina Cheese. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Top with green onion and serve.

Serves 5-6

Crab Avocado Cocktail

1/4 pound Crab Meat

1 Avocado, cubed

1 tablespoon Fresh Dill, chopped

Juice of half Lime

1 teaspoon Horseradish

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, to taste

In a small dish, combine lime juice, horseradish, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Whisk until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour dressing over crab meat, avocado, and dill. Toss together and if needed,season with salt and pepper .

Serves 2

Russian Style Crab Salad

1 pound Crab Meat

1 pound Small Baby Potatoes

4 Hard Boiled Eggs

8 small Dill Pickles

1/2 pound Peas, defrosted

1/2 cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped

1/2 cup Green Onion, chopped

1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons Champagne Vinaigrette

Juice of one Lemon

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes so they are fork tender, cut in half, season with salt and pepper, and brush with some olive oil.
Pre- heat grill and cook potatoes for 4-5 minutes. Remove off the grill and cut potatoes into bite size pieces.

Dice hard boiled eggs and pickles into small pieces. Add to potatoes, as well as crab meat, peas, parsley, green onion, jalapeno, and garlic.

To make dressing: in a small bowl add Dijon mustard, champagne vinaigrette, juice of a lemon, salt, and pepper. Whisk olive oil with the rest of the ingredients until it all combines together.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss all together. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8-10

*Can be made 4-5 hours ahead.

*This is a traditional Russian salad that I put my own twist on, by grilling potatoes and making mustard-champagne vinaigrette, instead of mayo. To make it easier on yourself, feel free to eliminate the grilling of the potatoes.

You can find crab meat that comes in a can at Trader Joes or Costco.



My Special Crab Cakes with Roasted Garlic Aioli

One pound Crab Meat

1/4 cup Green Onion finely chopped

1/4 cup Italian Parsley finely chopped

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper finely chopped

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 Eggs

1 tablespoon Mayo

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt, Pepper to taste

2 tablespoon olive oil for frying

Heat the oil in the skillet on medium-high heat. Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Shape crab cakes into small size patties. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the other side, until they are golden brown.

*You can find canned crab meat at Trader Joes or Costco

Roasted Garlic Aioli

4 Garlic cloves that have been roasted in the olive oil

2 Egg Yolks

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Juice of one Lemon

Salt, Pepper to taste

Run your knife roughly through the garlic cloves. Add 2 egg yolks and whisk together.

Then gradually start whisking olive oil into the egg mixture until it thickens and combines together.

Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. If needed, thin it out with a little bit of water .

*See how to roast garlic under Labels-Roasted Garlic