The best party foods are ones that combine comfort with luxury. Crab is an extravagant ingredient, but when used in a warm, savory dip, a little goes a long way. This is also a great make ahead dish – just heat it up when you are ready to serve. This recipe was developed by SAVEUR test kitchen assistant Victoria Cannizzo.
Hot Crab Dip with Pita Chips
The best party foods are ones that combine comfort with luxury. Crab is an extravagant ingredient, but when used in a warm, savory dip, a little goes a long way.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan, separated
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- 1⁄2 tsp. salt
- 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1⁄2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1⁄4 tsp. celery salt
- 1 lb. lump crab meat, cleaned
- 1 scallion, finely sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Butter the inside of a 8″ x 8″ baking dish.
- In a 12″ skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the bell pepper and shallot until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a roux, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream until the mixture comes to a boil, about 1 minute. Reduce to a simmer, cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 1⁄3 cup parmesan, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, Old Bay, and celery salt. Gently fold in the crab.
- Transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is browned and the dip is bubbling. Garnish with the scallions and serve with pita chips.
NOTES:
To make your own pita chips, cut fresh pita pockets in wedges and toss with 4 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook at 400° for 12-15 minutes.