Crab Spirals With Lemon Dill Food

CRAB SALAD WITH ROMAINE, DILL SAUCE, AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Steps:

• Place sunflower seeds in jar and pour in cold water to cover. Seal jar and let seeds sit at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Drain sunflower seeds and return to jar. Cover with a double layer of cheesecloth, secure with a rubber band, and let seeds sit until just beginning to sprout, at least 12 hours and up to 1 day. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan fitted with thermometer over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Carefully add sunflower seeds and cook, swirling pan, until puffed and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Let cool.
• Cook chopped dill in a large saucepan of boiling salted water just until wilted and bright green, about 30 seconds. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water and swish around to cool as quickly as possible. Drain dill and gently squeeze to remove excess water.
• Blend dill, buttermilk, and milk in a blender until mixture is bright green and smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in 1/4 cup sunflower oil followed by guar gum, if using (guar gum will give the sauce body without impacting flavor; if omitting, sauce will be a bit runny but equally tasty); season with salt. Transfer dill sauce to a medium bowl. Cover and chill.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Lightly drizzle cut sides of romaine with more sunflower oil; season with salt. Grill, cut side down, until grill marks appear but lettuce is still very crunchy, about 45 seconds. (Or char in a grill pan over medium-high.) Transfer to a platter; let cool.
• Heat crabmeat, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over low, stirring gently, until slightly warm; season with salt.
• Divide crab mixture among plates. Gently dip romaine in dill sauce and turn to coat completely, letting excess drip back into bowl. Arrange over crab; top with dill sprigs and fried sunflower seeds.
• Dill sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

CRAB 'N' CHEESE SPIRALS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, crab, olives and chives. Unroll one tube of crescent dough into one long rectangle; seal seams and perforations. , Spread with 1 cup cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of each cheese. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. , Using a serrated knife, cut into 10 slices; place cut side down on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining crescent dough, cream cheese mixture and cheeses. , Bake at 375° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

CRAB SPIRALS WITH LEMON & DILL

Steps:

• Combine cream cheese, green onion, dill, lemon juice and pepper, mix well.
• Spread evenly over spinach wrap.
• Place 2 crab legs, end to end, on each wrap, roll up tightly to enclose crab.
• Wrap in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Remove plastic wrap; slice into 1 inch pieces.
• If using loose crab, be sure it is well drained, dry with paper towel.
• Place it in wrap to form a leg.

PAULA DEEN'S CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON-DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Refrigerate until chilled.
• The sauce will thicken as it chills.
• To prepare the crab cakes, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Saute the onion, bell pepper, and garlic until the pepper is limp, approximately 3 minutes.
• Add the cream, mustard, 1 egg, parsley, cayenne pepper and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, to taste, and mix well.
• Gently fold in the crabmeat.
• Form the mixture into 8 patties, about 1/2-inch thick.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of bread crumbs with the Parmesan.
• Pat this topping onto both sides of the patties.
• Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Using a skillet, combine the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Saute the crab cakes in the hot oil-butter mixture for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
• These crab cakes can also be baked for 7 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree F oven.
• To serve, spoon a dollop of the lemon dill sauce along side each crab cake.
• **Cook time doesn't include refrigeration of the crab cakes for approximately 2 hours to let them firm up.

SALMON PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, dill, capers, garlic powder and lemon juice. Spread over tortillas; top with salmon. Roll up tightly. , Cut into 1-in. pieces; secure with toothpicks. Chill until serving. Discard toothpicks before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

MINI CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON-DILL AIOLI

Steps:

• 1. For aioli, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, lemon peel and juice, dill, and garlic. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until crab cakes are ready.
• 2. For crab cakes, in a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, egg, cayenne, 1 cup bread crumbs, celery, red bell pepper, and green onion; mix well. Gently stir in crabmeat.
• 3. Place remaining 2 cups bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Shape crab into small cakes (about 1 1/2-in. diameter); coat with bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
• 4. Place apart in two oiled 12- by- 17-in. rimmed baking pans. Bake in a 500° oven for 7 minutes, switch pan positions, and continue baking until golden brown, about 7 minutes longer. Serve hot with aioli.

CRAB WITH DILL ON CAYENNE TOASTS

Steps:

• Make toasts:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Stack bread slices and cut off crusts. Quarter slices to make twenty-four 1 1/2-inch squares and arrange squares on a baking sheet. In a small saucepan melt butter and stir in cayenne and salt. Brush tops of squares with butter mixture and bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool toasts on a rack. Toasts may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make crab:
• Pick over crab meat to remove any bits of shell and cartilage (being careful not to break up lumps). In a small bowl stir together remaining ingredients with salt to taste and gently stir in crab. Crab mixture may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Just before serving, mound about 1/2 tablespoon crab mixture on each toast and garnish with dill.