When I found lump crab meat on sale today, I thought maybe crab meat in
light fluffy puff pastry dough, so picked up a package of frozen. Now I
find virtually NO recipes for crab turnover, crab puff, anything similar
that uses that square pastry.

So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the square,
fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any recipes for
this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of good crab meat?

Any favorites of yours for lump crab meat, with or without puff pastry?

CT wrote:

>
> So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the square,
> fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any recipes for
> this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of good crab meat?

Sounds yummy. I'd try it. Seems like it would need a cream sauce,
though, maybe you can adapt this:

http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm

Puff Pastry Shells with Brie and Lobster Cream
Start to Finish: 20 min.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

This divinely rich and creamy sauce makes this an opulent dish for a
party or to serve as the first course at a dinner for special guests. It
can be prepared in minutes.

(2) 10-ounce packages frozen pastry shells (12 total)
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1-1/4 cups half-and-half or light cream
1/2 cup dry white wine or champagne
6 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed, cut up
8 ounces fresh or frozen lobster or crabmeat, cut into chunks (about
1-1/2 cups)
Green peppercorns in brine, drained; capers, drained; halved dried figs;
or chopped smoked almonds (optional)

1. Thaw and bake pastry shells according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion and
garlic; cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender.
Stir in flour and ground red pepper. Stir in half-and-half or light
cream and wine or champagne. (Mixture may appear curdled, but will
become smooth as it cooks.) Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly;
cook and stir 1 minute more. Add Brie, stirring until melted. Add
lobster or crabmeat; heat through.


Dawn

"Dawn" > wrote in message
...
> CT wrote:
>
>>
>> So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the
>> square, fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any
>> recipes for this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of
>> good crab meat?
>
> Sounds yummy. I'd try it. Seems like it would need a cream sauce, though,
> maybe you can adapt this:
>
> http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm
>
That looks delish! For something simpler, why not soften some chopped
onion, leak and garlic in butter, mix with the crabmeat and make pasties
with the puff pastry?
Graham

Here's a Curried Lobster Puff Pastry recipe that I tried once with
pretty good success:

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe77119


CT wrote:
> When I found lump crab meat on sale today, I thought maybe crab meat in
> light fluffy puff pastry dough, so picked up a package of frozen. Now I
> find virtually NO recipes for crab turnover, crab puff, anything similar
> that uses that square pastry.
>
> So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the square,
> fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any recipes for
> this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of good crab meat?
>
> Any favorites of yours for lump crab meat, with or without puff pastry?

On Sat, 4 Nov 2006 15:50:55 -0500, "CT" > wrote:

>When I found lump crab meat on sale today, I thought maybe crab meat in
>light fluffy puff pastry dough, so picked up a package of frozen. Now I
>find virtually NO recipes for crab turnover, crab puff, anything similar
>that uses that square pastry.
>
>So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the square,
>fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any recipes for
>this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of good crab meat?
>
>Any favorites of yours for lump crab meat, with or without puff pastry?
>
I would make a crab salad type thing and then put it in the baked
pastry.
Try the crab, some diced celery, diced onion and mayo to taste as a
quick dressing.

That sounds good! Pretty simple too.
You don't need much to make crab taste good.

Kris

graham wrote:
> "Dawn" > wrote in message
> ...
> > CT wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and just put that in the
> >> square, fold it over, little egg wash and bake, but if I can't find any
> >> recipes for this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a waste of
> >> good crab meat?
> >
> > Sounds yummy. I'd try it. Seems like it would need a cream sauce, though,
> > maybe you can adapt this:
> >
> > http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm
> >
> That looks delish! For something simpler, why not soften some chopped
> onion, leak and garlic in butter, mix with the crabmeat and make pasties
> with the puff pastry?
> Graham

> graham wrote:
>> "Dawn" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > Sounds yummy. I'd try it. Seems like it would need a cream sauce,
>> > though,
>> > maybe you can adapt this:
>> >
>> > http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm
>> >

Thanks all. I kept seeing recipes for pastry shells, but I only bought puff
pastry that is in small sheets (8-4x4). I don't know what you'd use for
different things. I'm new to cooking again. I've been lurking here,
watching Food TV and getting ideas to cook more healthy, and actually
cooking as opposed to heating or compiling.

Based on some threads here, and a couple of shows on TV I stocked up my
pantry with staples. Spices, herbs, vinegars, oils. Went to Target and got
some things my kitchen lacked like a meat thermometer, tongs, and my
favorite newest appliance, an oval slow cooker that has a programmable
thermostat.

>> That looks delish! For something simpler, why not soften some chopped
>> onion, leak and garlic in butter, mix with the crabmeat and make pasties
>> with the puff pastry?
>> Graham
>

I think that's what I'm going to do with it tomorrow.

CT wrote:


>>>>
>>>>http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm
>>>>
>
>
> Thanks all. I kept seeing recipes for pastry shells, but I only bought puff
> pastry that is in small sheets (8-4x4).

Cut the pastry sheets into sections, maybe 3x3 or 4x4. Use the tip of a
sharp knife to score the puff pastry in the center, marking a "lid" on
it. Bake. After it's baked you can pry out the piece you marked off, and
voila, a shell.



Dawn

"CT" > wrote
> Thanks all.

No, thank YOU! I am from Maryland, now in North Carolina, and
every time I look at this group the mere words "lump crab meat"
make my mouth water.

I want to make my mother's crab cakes, but am just too uneasy about
the state of the various waters the little guys live in.

Nobody is actually farming blue crabs yet, are they?

"CT" > wrote in message
...
>> graham wrote:
>>> "Dawn" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> >
>>> > Sounds yummy. I'd try it. Seems like it would need a cream sauce,
>>> > though,
>>> > maybe you can adapt this:
>>> >
>>> > http://www.lobster-n-crab.com/recipe...bsterCream.htm
>>> >
>
> Thanks all. I kept seeing recipes for pastry shells, but I only bought
> puff pastry that is in small sheets (8-4x4). I don't know what you'd use
> for different things. I'm new to cooking again. I've been lurking here,
> watching Food TV and getting ideas to cook more healthy, and actually
> cooking as opposed to heating or compiling.
>
> Based on some threads here, and a couple of shows on TV I stocked up my
> pantry with staples. Spices, herbs, vinegars, oils. Went to Target and
> got some things my kitchen lacked like a meat thermometer, tongs, and my
> favorite newest appliance, an oval slow cooker that has a programmable
> thermostat.
>
>>> That looks delish! For something simpler, why not soften some chopped
>>> onion, leak and garlic in butter, mix with the crabmeat and make pasties
>>> with the puff pastry?
>>> Graham
>>
>
> I think that's what I'm going to do with it tomorrow.
Last w/e I did something similar with a leak, chopped carrots and garlic
sweated 'til soft, added some white vermouth (Noilly Prat) and let it boil
down. I then cooled it and mixed it with some chopped fillets of fish and
some shrimps ( and a tsp of Pernod) before making pies with puff pastry
(pithivier style, i.e., mound some of the mix on a circle of PP, wet the
edge with water then place a second, slightly larger circle of PP on top and
seal the edges). Egg wash and bake at 400F for about 35 minutes. One could
add some diced potato to such a mix.
Graham

In article >, "cybercat" >
wrote:

> "CT" > wrote
> > Thanks all.
>
> No, thank YOU! I am from Maryland, now in North Carolina, and
> every time I look at this group the mere words "lump crab meat"
> make my mouth water.
>
> I want to make my mother's crab cakes, but am just too uneasy about
> the state of the various waters the little guys live in.
>
> Nobody is actually farming blue crabs yet, are they?

I'm not sure... I get my pre-packaged crab meat from the Korean market
and refuse to worry about it. ;-)

I can shell my own, but I'd rather not!
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

"CT" > wrote in message
...

> When I found lump crab meat on sale today,
> I thought maybe crab meat in light fluffy puff
> pastry dough, so picked up a package of frozen.
> Now I find virtually NO recipes for crab turnover,
> crab puff, anything similar that uses that square pastry.
>
> So I'm thinking maybe a mix like crab cakes and
> just put that in the square, fold it over, little egg
> wash and bake, but if I can't find any recipes for
> this, is it not a good idea? Does it sound like a
> waste of good crab meat?

I think your idea sounds quite good. Another option is something like this,
from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. I've made it several times, to
very good reviews, and thyme substitutes nicely for tarragon (if you're like
me and don't care for it). I think using puff pastry would be just fine,
instead of the cream cheese pastry (recipe included anyway), and you could
certainly shape the pastries to fit your pre-cut squares, rather than
cutting the pastry into circles.

Crescent Pastries with Sherried Crab Filling
Makes 32-40 pastries

Cream Cheese Pastry (follows)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1-1/2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c milk, scalded
1-1/2 tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp dried tarragon (or other agreeable herb -- I use thyme)
1 tsp dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
8 oz fresh or frozen crabmeat, drained and squeezed dry
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 egg
2 tsp water

1. Make the pastry

2. Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the
shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually
stir in the milk and boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, 5-7
minutes.

4. Add the sherry, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, tarragon, mustard,
cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat, stirring
occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate, covered,
several hours or overnight.

5. Toss the crabmeat with the lemon juice in a medium-size bowl. Add 1 cup
of the cream sauce and fold gently to combine. Add the parsley and fold
just until combined.

6. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with
parchment paper.

7. Keeping the remaining dough refrigerated, roll 1 piece of the dough into
a circle, 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3-inch
circles.

8. Place a rounded teaspoon of the crab filling on the center of each pastry
circle. Fold each circle in half and press the edges together with a fork.
Place on a prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling
the scraps if desired, and remaining crab filling.

9. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl and brush the egg wash over each
pastry. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Pastry
6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer or wooden spoon
until well blended. Add the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Knead
lightly and shape into a ball.

2. Cut the ball into quarters. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate several
hours or overnight.

"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> In article >, "cybercat" >
> wrote:
>
>> "CT" > wrote
>> > Thanks all.
>>
>> No, thank YOU! I am from Maryland, now in North Carolina, and
>> every time I look at this group the mere words "lump crab meat"
>> make my mouth water.
>>
>> I want to make my mother's crab cakes, but am just too uneasy about
>> the state of the various waters the little guys live in.
>>
>> Nobody is actually farming blue crabs yet, are they?
>
> I'm not sure... I get my pre-packaged crab meat from the Korean market
> and refuse to worry about it. ;-)
>
> I can shell my own, but I'd rather not!
> --

I have always bought it shelled, but still have to shell it.

The thing about lump backfin is, how to keep me from
burying my face in it before I get it in the pan! The only
thing missing is the "mustard," that wonderful funky crab
fat you get in steamed crabs.