Take a break from the lobster rolls, New Englanders, and turn your attention to a different crustacean. Chef Chris Frothingham uses a simple mixture of mayo, minced chives, Old Bay, Dijon mustard and crushed up Ritz crackers to create big flavor in his crab meat stuffing. His recipe also includes a homemade red wine & tarragon aioli, which amplifies the bold tastes of the filling even more. A steamer makes the final step a bit easier, but if you don’t have one on hand, a microwave will do the trick.
Crab Stuffed Artichoke
Ingredients
for the artichokes & stuffing:
- 4 globe artichokes
- 1 pound of crab meat
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons minced chives
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- Dash of tabasco
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 springs fresh tarragon
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 fresh lemon
Directions
to prepare the artichokes:
- Cut the top quarter of the artichoke off using a serrated knife. Cut the stem off flush to the bottom of the artichoke. Steam or cook the artichoke in a deep pot of water. Depending on the cooking method you are using, you are looking at about 35-45 minutes of cook time.
- Using tongs, remove one artichoke and stick the tip of a knife into the center of the bottom — it should be tender. When it is tender, remove the artichokes and let cool.
- Combine all of the stuffing ingredients (crab meat, mayonnaise, minced chives, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, Ritz crackers, tabasco and salt & pepper) and fold together, making sure not to break up the pieces of crab. Adjust seasoning to your taste, and keep cool.
- Reduce red wine with tarragon and shallots until almost dry. You should have a tablespoon of concentrate. Strain the concentrate and fold into the cup of mayonnaise. Add fresh lemon juice and salt to taste.
- Pull the center leaves of the artichoke out with your fingers. You should be able to see the "choke" (the little hairs inside of the artichoke). Using a soup spoon, carefully scoop out the choke to expose the heart. Now you can stuff the center with crab filling. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees, and set up a steamer on your stove top. (Chef's note: if you don't have a steamer, you can microwave the stuffed artichokes until the center of the filling is hot, about 4-5 minutes. If using the steamer, place your stuffed artichokes in the steamer and steam until the center is hot, or about 155 degrees).
- Once the filling is hot, carefully remove the artichoke and place on a sheet tray. Place in the oven and bake until the top is lightly browned.
- Remove and serve with red wine aioli, and a lemon wedge!
