COMMENT:
For your next cocktail party, especially around the holiday season,
no combination is better for a unique and tasty dip than crabmeat
and artichokes. An interesting thing about this recipe is the many
variations that may come about by simply adding more cream to create
a soup, or by throwing in 2 cups of chopped spinach and replacing
the crabmeat with oysters for a fabulous Oysters Rockefeller Dip
or Soup.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup cooked spinach, squeezed
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
- 2 (8.5 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained
- ¼ pound butter
- ½ cup diced onions
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced yellow bell pepper
- 2 tbsps minced garlic
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ounce dry white wine
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp chopped basil
METHOD:
Begin by rinsing artichokes well under cold water to remove the
brine and chop coarsely in a food processor. Remove and set aside
for later use. In a 2-quart, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, melt
butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and
garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.
Add artichokes and blend well into the vegetable mixture. Stir and
cook 5 additional minutes. Sprinkle in flour and blend well to form
a white roux. Do not brown. Add chicken stock and heavy whipping
cream 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly until a thick cream sauce
is achieved. Reduce heat to simmer. Add white wine and season to
taste using salt and pepper. Simmer approximately 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally to keep from scorching. The mixture should resemble
a thick cream sauce. Should it become too thick, additional whipping
cream or stock may be added to reach desired consistency. Add spinach,
green onions and parsley, then fold in lump crabmeat. Cook 5 minutes
longer and remove from heat. Fold in Parmesan cheese and adjust
seasonings if necessary. Place the mixture in a chafing dish and
serve with garlic croutons or crackers.
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