It’s stone crab season once again. Get ready to see those beautiful claws on menus and in fish markets throughout South Florida. The traditional stone crab appetizer is served chilled with mustard sauce. While that is hard to beat, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy our local crabs. This recipe is perfect for a party and everyone loves spinach artichoke dip. Add some fresh Florida Stone Crab and you’ve got a winner.
There is nothing better than fresh Florida Stone Crab in season, but this recipe can certainly be made with lump crab meat or any other fresh crab you can get your hands on. This particular recipe is all about making the crab the star of the dip. Make sure you reserve a healthy portion of the crab meat as a garnish on top. Also, picking the right cheese is important. I like a young Asiago cheese that is more buttery and creamy. If you prefer a sharper bitter cheese then any aged parmesan will do.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese
- 6 ounces Florida Stone Crab
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or fresh jalapeno (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and sauté garlic for one minute. Add spinach and sauté 2-3 minutes longer, or until spinach is barely wilted. Transfer spinach to a mixing bowl.
- Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Asiago cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. If you like it spicy try adding the red pepper flakes or fresh jalapeno to your taste. Mix well.
- Separate your crab meat and reserve about 25% of the meat to add as a garnish on top. Add the remaining crab to the bowl and toss gently to keep the big chunks intact.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are bubbly.
- While the dip is cooling melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a skillet and lightly sauté the reserved crab meat for abut 2 minutes.
- Garnish the dip with the crab meat and green onion. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.
