Holiday Appetizers: Chili & Garlic Crab Crostini

Heat things up this holiday season with these delicious Chili & Garlic Crab Crostini. This savory appetizer relies on the balance between the sweet, buttery lump blue crab meat and zesty sambal chili, ginger, and garlic cream cheese. This appetizer can be served hot or cold (we’ll provide instruction for both) and will be a mega hit with all your party-going guests. 

Go Big Blue! 

Blue crabs are found throughout the Mid-Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, the most coveted (and highest contributor) are crabs found in the Chesapeake Bay. These crabs can grow up to 10 inches and their size denotes their value. #1’s or Jumbos are the largest at 6+inches with #2’s falling just shy of that number and #3’s ranging from 4.5-5 inches, the smallest size to be legally caught. Their size is measured by the length of their shell (not a combination of legs and shell). These tiny culinary titans are renowned for their flavor, a combination of sweet salinity with the body meat being the most sought after. Jumbo lump crab meat comes from the large muscles connected to the fin-like swimming legs, an area most crab aficionados call ‘the body’. It is the largest, succulent, delicate, and most desired part of the crab. Lump crab meat is composed of smaller pieces of jumbo lump as well as smaller pieces of meat from the body. Like jumbo lump, lump crab meat is absolutely delicious, tender, delicate, sweet, and buttery.

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Chili & Garlic Crab Crostini 

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 2 each Italian for French bread loaves sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 8 oz package cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 scallions chopped, plus extra for garnish
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sambal chili paste plus a little extra for garnish
• 1 garlic clove peeled
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger peeled
• 1 lb Cameron’s Lump Crab Meat drained

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line 2 large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the bread slices with olive oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 5-10 minutes or until the crostini are nicely golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Place cream cheese, mayonnaise, scallions, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sambal, garlic, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor, blend until thoroughly combined and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the crab meat, and gently fold together to combine.
3. Hot Preparation: Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the crab mix on to the prepared crostini, making sure to cover the crostini entirely in the mix. Place in the preheated oven and heat for 5-6 minutes or until the crab topping is a little bubbly and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and garnish with a little sprinkle of chopped scallions and a tiny dollop or two of sambal (optional).
4. Cold Preparation: Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the crab mix on to the prepared crostini, making sure to cover the crostini entirely in the mix. Garnish the crostini with a little sprinkle of chopped scallions and a tiny dollop or two of sambal (optional).

Buy Maryland Blue Crabs Online! 

You can buy crab cakes, whole blue crabs, and lump crab meat (as well as many other delicious seafood products) from our online store. All of Cameron’s Maryland Crab Meat comes straight from the Chesapeake Bay to your door with guaranteed freshness. The best crab meat in the world comes from Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs!

Show us how you manage meals during the holidays. Whether you make this tasty appetizer recipe or have one of your own that you would like to share-we’d love to hear from you. Post your own Cameron’s Seafood dish on Instagram and tag us @cameronsseafoodonline. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter, we look forward seeing your creations

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