CARIBBEAN CRAB SLIDERS

Grand Prize, First place Appetizer

Amy Brennan, Seaford, Virginia

1 lb. Maryland blue crab meat

¼ c. mayonnaise (see recipe below)

1/8 c. prepared yellow mustard

1 tsp. dried parsley 

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

1½ slices whole grain gluten-free bread, crumbled finely

1 jumbo egg white, beaten to soft peaks

1 egg yolk, set aside

Small bag flaked coconut, can use sweetened or unsweetened

1 recipe Easy Sweet Potato Biscuits (see below)

1 jar red pepper jelly

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Gently fold in the crab and bread crumbs. Fold in the beaten egg white. Form into 1- to 2-inch balls. You should  have 12 to 16. The larger ball makes a little nicer presentation and the smaller one gives you more servings. Whisk the egg yolk with a little water to make a wash. Coat each crab ball with the egg wash and roll in coconut. Working in batches of 4-6, fry in 360°F. oil until golden brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Place each ball between a split Sweet Potato Biscuit and top with a dab of pepper jelly. Spear with a cocktail pick suited to your occasion!

Quail Egg Mayo

6 quail eggs

1 c. extra light 100% olive oil

Juice of ½ an average lemon

¼ tsp. prepared yellow mustard

Light sprinkle of garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and paprika (put the oil in a quart bowl first and very lightly cover the surface of it with seasonings). Put everything in a quart bowl and whirl with a stick blender until thick and creamy. Refrigerate and use within 4 days.

Easy Sweet Potato Biscuits for Sliders

1 15-oz. can sweet potatoes, drained and pressed into a 1 c. measure and set aside

3 Tbs. coconut oil, softened 

1½ c. gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (or all-purpose flour)

11/3 c. light brown sugar, loosely packed

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. sea salt

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a baking pan with parchment or bake on well-seasoned stone. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add sweet potatoes and coconut oil and combine with an electric mixer just until well incorporated. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle flour on work surface. Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 2” rounds and place on sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Brush tops lightly with coconut oil if desired. Allow to cool completely. Slice in half with a fine serrated knife as you would for a sandwich bun.  

Note: Instead of the round cut biscuits she used crab-shaped cutters for her biscuits making the presentation much more effective.

MARYLAND CRAB POT PIES 

First place, main dishes

Christine Dryden, Georgetown, Delaware  

1 lb. Maryland blue crab meat

½ c. (2 sticks) butter

½ c. onions, shallots, chopped or sliced thin

2 ears corn, shucked, cut from the cob

3 Tbs. flour

1 c. milk

½ c. heavy cream

1 c. mix of chicken stock, shrimp, or 8-oz. bottle clam juice

2 bay leaves

1 rib celery, chopped fine or julienne style

1 large carrot, chopped fine or julienne style

3 c. leeks, sliced thin, julienne style

2 c. peeled cooked potatoes about 15 minutes, cubed, russet or new potatoes

2 Tbs. seafood seasoning (separated) such as Old Bay, or other seafood seasoning of choice

1 c. peas, fresh, frozen, or canned (frozen is best in this recipe) 

1 Tbs. lemon zest

2 Tbs. chopped, fresh parsley

1 tsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. salt 

1/8 tsp. black pepper, to taste

1 large egg, beaten

1 to 2 frozen puff pastry pie crust

Cook the potatoes; get all of the vegetables prepared, the onions, corn, celery, carrots, leeks, parsley, and lemon zest (grated). If using frozen peas, take them out and set aside. In a medium to large pot, boil enough water to blanch the vegetables, about 5-8 minutes. Strain and set aside. Turn oven to 375°F. Heat a sauté pan or skillet with butter on  medium heat, until just melted, then add the flour and whisk in until thin, then keep stirring and whisking then add the milk and heavy cream, add the stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper, half of  the seafood seasoning, lemon juice, add more flour if not thick enough. Keep stirring and add the vegetables. Add the peas. Gently fold in half of crabmeat. Unroll pie pastry crusts on work surface. In 6 (10-oz.) oven proof ramekins or custard cups onto pie crusts. Cut around edges of ramekins with the tip of a sharp knife to make circles. Spoon crab and pot pie mixture evenly into the ramekins, top rest of the crabmeat on each of the ramekins sprinkle the seafood seasoning. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbs. water. Place pie crust over each ramekin, pressing down to seal; make 4 slits in each crust to vent. Place on cookie sheet, lined with foil or parchment paper. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, to brush on the pastry. Bake at 375°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with parsley and vegetables by choice.

 

BEST CREAM OF CRAB SOUP   

First in Soup/Salad Division 

Charlese Ann Smith, Bishopville, Maryland

1 lb. Maryland blue crab meat

5 pints heavy whipping cream

1 c. chicken broth

1 stick of butter

3 Tbs. Old Bay Seasoning

Salt and white pepper to taste

½ c. cornstarch

Water

In a saucepan add heavy whipping cream, chicken broth, Old Bay Seasoning, and salt/pepper. Put in stick of butter. When this comes to a boil, add cornstarch making a paste. Stir constantly. Add crabmeat.

 

BLUE CRAB SAUCE OVER FRIED GREEN TOMATOES 

3rd place Main Dish 

Mary Schafer, Crisfield, Maryland 

3 or 4 large green tomatoes

2 eggs

½ c. heavy cream

1 c. all-purpose flour

½ c. cornmeal

½ c. seasoned bread crumbs

2 tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

Vegetable oil

Crab Sauce

1 lb. Maryland Blue crab meat

1 cup mayo 

2 tsp. yellow mustard

2 Tbs. whipped cream cheese

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. seasoning 

1 tsp. green Tabasco sauce

2 tsp. capers

Garnish

Mixed greens

Cherry tomatoes

Thoroughly wash tomatoes, cut off ends and discard. Slice into ½-inch slices. Whisk eggs with cream in a shallow bowl. Measure flour into a second shallow bowl. Measure bread crumbs and cornmeal into third bowl. Dip tomato slices into flour, then egg mixture. Then in egg again and last into bread crumbs/cornmeal mixture. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet (to a depth of 12 inches). Fry tomatoes until golden brown. Remove to a tray lined with paper towels. In a medium sized skillet, combine the sauce ingredients, except for the crabs and capers. Bring to a light boil and then turn down to warm. When ready to serve, add crab and capers just to warm; stir gently. Garnish each plate with green and halved cherry tomatoes. Add tomato slices, one at a time (total of three). Put crabs sauce over each slice. On top of the third, sprinkle lightly with greens and tomato. Nice to serve with roasted corn salsa.

 

CRAB QUICHE

Best Presentation

Douglas Rayfield, Allen, Maryland

Filling

1 lb. Maryland blue crab meat

1½ c. shredded Cheddar cheese

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

12 oz. can evaporated milk

1/8 finely chopped onion

3 eggs, beaten

Pastry

1 c. flour

2/3 c. shortening

1/8 c. water

Non-stick cooking spray

Prepare pastry by cutting shortening into flour. When well crumbled, add cold water and gently form into a loose ball. Roll between two sheets of floured wax paper until very thin. Slice into rounds the size of the muffin pan. Spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place pastry rounds into each muffin pan. Bake pastry for 5 minutes at 450°F. After 5 minutes, remove from oven.

In a large bowl, combine crabmeat, 1 c. cheese, cayenne, onion, milk and beaten eggs. Blend well. Fill shells with mixture and bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until center is firm. Remove from oven and top with remaining ½ c. cheese. Return to oven just long enough to melt cheese. Remove from oven, let cool slightly to make removal easier.