Crabmeat Cheesecake With Pecan Crust Creole Food

PALACE CAFE CRABMEAT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preparing the Pecan Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Finely grind pecans in a food processor. Add flour and salt. Mix well. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cut in butter, working butter into flour with 2 knives until dough is in crumbs the size of small peas. Add ice water and evenly incorporate into the mixture, which should remain fairly crumbly. Roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into a lightly greased 9-inch tart pan, starting with the sides and then the bottom. Bake crust for 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Preparing the Filling:
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a skillet, saute onion in butter until translucent. Add crabmeat and cook just until heated through, then remove from heat. Blend cream cheese until smooth in a mixer fitted with a paddle, or by hand using a wooden spoon. Add Creole cream cheese and mix well. Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Gently fold in the crabmeat mixture. Stir in hot sauce and season, to taste, with salt and white pepper. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Preparing the Meuniere Sauce and Garnish:
• Combine lemon, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a heavy saucepot. Reduce over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until mixture becomes thick and syrupy. Whisk in heavy whipping cream. Reduce heat to low and slowly blend in butter, 1 cube at a time, adding additional butter only after each cube has been completely incorporated into the sauce. This process is called "mounting the butter." Remove from heat and continue to stir. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Strain through a fine strainer and keep warm.
• Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until tender and all moisture has cooked off. Excess water from the mushrooms may break your sauce if it isn't cooked off. Stir mushrooms into Meuniere sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan and warm crab fingers over low heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve:
• Slice cheesecake and top each piece with warm Meuniere sauce and 3 crab claws.

CRABMEAT CHEESECAKE WITH PECAN CRUST (CREOLE)

Steps:

• FOR THE PECAN CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grind the pecans, flour & salt in a food processor until fine, then transfer to a bowl.
• Add butter, working it into the flour until there are crumbs the size of small peas.
• Toss in the ice water, & using fingers, lift up the dough to incorporate evenly. [The dough will remain fairly crumbly].
• Starting with the sides, & then the bottom, press the dough into a 9" tart pan.
• Bake crust for about 20 minutes, then allow it to cool before filling. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• FOR THE FILLING: Cook the onion in a little butter over medium heat until translucent.
• Add crabmeat & cook just until heated through, then remove from heat & set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, blend the cream cheese until smooth, then add the yogurt & sour cream. After that add the eggs one at a time.
• Fold this cheese mixture into the crabmeat mixture, & season to taste with salt, pepper & hot sauce.
• Pour this mixture into the prepared & cooled crust, then bake for about 30 minutes until set & firm to the touch.
• FOR THE GARNISH: Saute shallots until translucent, then add mushrooms and 'SWEAT' until just cooked through.
• Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce & hot sauce, & cook until the mixture is reduced by 3/4.
• Add heavy cream & cook until reduced by half, then whisk in the butter.
• In a separate saute pan, add crab claw fingers. Salt & pepper to taste, then pour the reduced mixture over the crab claws & keep warm.
• Each slice of cheesecake gets 3 crab claws & 2 tablespoons of the reduced sauce.

CREAMY CRAB CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of the greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low just until combined. Add onion, lemon juice, seafood seasoning, hot pepper sauce and pepper; beat just until blended. Fold in crab. Pour over crust. Return pan to baking sheet. , Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer. Spread remaining sour cream over top. Refrigerate overnight. , Remove sides of pan. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with seafood seasoning if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

CRABMEAT CHEESECAKE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Using the first five ingredients (pecans to ice water) prepare the pecan crust: Grind the pecans, flour and salt in a food processor until fine. Transfer to a bowl. Add the butter. Work the butter into the flour until you have crumbs about the size of a pea. Toss in the ice water, lifting up the dough with your fingers to incorporate evenly. The dough will remain crumbly. Roll out dough and cut into circles. Bake the crust in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool before filling. Meanwhile, make the filling --
• Using the next 7 ingredients (onion to hot sauce) prepare the filling: Cook the onion in a bit of butter over medium heat until translucent. Add the crabmeat and cook just until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand using a wooden spoon), blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the Creole cream cheese and then the eggs one at a time. Fold in the crabmeat mixture. Season to taste with salt, white pepper and hot sauce.
• Pour the mix into the prepared silicon tart pans. Bake at 300°F for about 30 minutes until set and firm to the touch. Once out of the oven place crust circle on top and let it sit for 5 minutes. Remove hors d'ouevres and place on a serving dish.
• Using the last 8 ingredients (shallots to salt and pepper) prepare the garnish topping: Sauté shallots until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sweat until just cooked through. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, and reduce by 3/4. Add the heavy cream and reduce by half. Whisk in the butter.
• In a separate sauté pan, add extra crab. Salt and pepper to taste, then pour the reduction over and keep warm.

CAJUN CRAB CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 9-inch springform pan.
• In large bowl, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and horseradish; beat with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add sherry; beat well. Beat mixture at high speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in crabmeat and hot pepper sauce just until combined. Pour into crust-lined pan.
• Bake at 325°F. for 50 to 60 minutes or until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours before serving.
• Just before serving, remove sides of pan; place cheesecake on serving platter. Garnish with bell pepper. Serve immediately, or let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with assorted crackers.