Recipe courtesy Clayton Miller, executive chef of Wit & Wisdom, A Tavern by Michael Mina at the Four Seasons Hotel, Baltimore
You don’t have to be a slave to your stove to make this crowd-pleasing dish. Inspired by the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay region, this rich, warming crab dip is a favorite at Wit & Wisdom, but can be made at home in less than an hour.
Similar to velouté sauce, Béchamel is used to make traditional Italian lasagna and also serves as the base for many standard French sauces, such as Mornay and Soubise. Here, it adds a creamy texture and flavor to the Maryland crab dip.
Published: December 3, 2015
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat an oven to 325˚F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, Béchamel, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, seasoning, parsley and chives. Once incorporated, gently fold in the crab meat. Lightly coat an oven-safe bowl with nonstick spray, and pour in the mixture.
Bake the mixture uncovered for 30–40 minutes, or until golden brown on top and warmed throughout. Garnish with chopped green onions, and serve with steamed artichoke hearts, cucumber slices and pumpernickel crostini. Serves 4–6.
Béchamel:
Melt the butter in a saucepan set over low heat, and then add the flour. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until the flour is cooked but hasn’t changed color, about 5 minutes. Stir the milk into the mixture, and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Let cool in a refrigerator before using. Yields 1 cup.
