Crab is my favorite small plate ingredient. Crab and brie together is even better. I picked up some pistachios at the market this week and thought of ways to incorporate them into this week's small bite. I came up with a delicious filling that can be made two ways. The first recipe is crab and brie cakes with a pistachio crust. The second is crab and brie napoleons with toasted pistachios. Both are delicious. We enjoyed the crab dishes during our happy hour with French 75s. A French 75 is a citrusy, champagne cocktail that goes well with crab. The French 75 is a classic cocktail that has a bit of a kick but goes down easy. We enjoyed our crab napoleons and French 75s on one of the last days of summer. We sat outside and enjoyed the weather while chatting about a trip to Paris......uh no......that was my fantasy......while chatting about health care. Mr. J is very passionate about politics. It makes for very lively and thoughtful cocktail hour discussions.
2 Servings
Ingredients:
1/3 C Toasted Pistachios, finely chopped
3 oz. Brie, well chilled
8 oz. Lump Crab meat, picked over
1 Tbsp Vidalia onion, minced
1 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to 1/4 tsp if you like it spicy)
1 Tbsp canola oil
*Note: Useful tool - 2 inch biscuit cutter.
Method:
1. To toast the pistachios, place the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Shake and stir constantly to avoid burning the nuts. After about 5 minutes the nuts should be lightly brown. Immediately remove the nuts from the pan to stop the cooking process. Allow the nuts to cool completely before chopping. Once the nuts have cooled, place the nuts in a food processor and pulse several times. Place the nuts in a small shallow dish and set to the side.
2. Cut the brie into ½ inch cubes.
3. Place the cubed brie, crab meat, onion, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork but gently so as not to break up the crab too much.
4. To make uniform crab and brie cakes, I use a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Fill the biscuit cutter with the crab mixture. Carefully remove the crab and brie cake and place it in the nut mixture.
5. Carefully coat the crab cake in the toasted pistachios. Repeat until all of the crab mixture has been used. Chill for 1 hour.
5. Carefully coat the crab cake in the toasted pistachios. Repeat until all of the crab mixture has been used. Chill for 1 hour.
6. Heat the canola oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Make sure that the oil and pan are hot. Place the crab cakes in the pan and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Let the crab and brie cakes cool for a few minutes prior to serving.
Recipe makes 6 two-inch crab cakes
Crab & Brie Napoleons with Toasted Pistachios
Ingredients:
1/2 of a 17.3 oz package of puff pastry (1 sheet, thawed)
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/3 C Toasted Pistachios, coarsely chopped
3 oz. Brie, well chilled
8 oz. Lump Crab meat, picked over
1 Tbsp Vidalia onion, minced
1 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat the egg and water in a bowl.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. You may need to roll it some until you have a 12 inch square. Cut the pastry into 24 rectangles (3”x2”). Place the rectangles on a baking sheet and brush with the egg mixture. Bake for 8 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
4.Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Split the pastries into 2 layers. You will have 48 halves.
2. Beat the egg and water in a bowl.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. You may need to roll it some until you have a 12 inch square. Cut the pastry into 24 rectangles (3”x2”). Place the rectangles on a baking sheet and brush with the egg mixture. Bake for 8 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
4.Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Split the pastries into 2 layers. You will have 48 halves.
5. To toast the pistachios, place the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Shake and stir constantly to avoid burning the nuts. After about 5 minutes the nuts should be lightly brown. Immediately remove the nuts from the pan to stop the cooking process. Allow the nuts to cool completely before chopping. Using a sharp knife, coarsely chop the nuts. Place the pistachios in a mixing bowl.
6. Cut the brie into ½ inch cubes.
7. Place the cubed brie, crab meat, onion, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in the mixing bowl with the pistachios. Mix well with a fork but gently so as not to break up the crab too much.
8. Place a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture on the bottom layer of the 24 napoleons. Top with the top pastry layers. Bake the napoleons for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.
7. Place the cubed brie, crab meat, onion, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in the mixing bowl with the pistachios. Mix well with a fork but gently so as not to break up the crab too much.
8. Place a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture on the bottom layer of the 24 napoleons. Top with the top pastry layers. Bake the napoleons for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve.
Makes 24 napoleons
Makes 2 cocktails
Ingredients:
2 oz dry gin
2 oz fresh lemon juice
2 oz simple syrup*
Bottle of chilled brut champagne
Maraschino cherries
Method:
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until the ingredients are mixed and well chilled.
3. Pour equal amounts of the gin mixture into two champagne glasses.
4. Top each glass with 4 oz of chilled champagne and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
2. Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until the ingredients are mixed and well chilled.
3. Pour equal amounts of the gin mixture into two champagne glasses.
4. Top each glass with 4 oz of chilled champagne and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
*Simply syrup recipe: Put ¾ cup sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Heat over medium high heat. Stir until the sugar has melted completely. Cool completely and pour into a glass container. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Cheers!
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