Sweet Dungeness crab is marinated in a quick dressing, topped with a crunchy apple-shallot mixture, and served on little slices of bread spread with mustardy mayo. Don’t forget to save the shells! They make a killer stock.
Ingredients
- 2 Dungeness crab clusters, thawed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grainy mustard, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup finely diced honeycrisp apple, with skin
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 10 slices cocktail rye bread or lightly toasted baguette slices
Directions
Pickle Crab
Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add crab, cover, and steam until thawed, about 5 minutes (crab is already cooked). Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Crack the shells and pick out the crabmeat (about 1 c). Tear crab into bite size pieces and transfer to a bowl. In a small bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of the mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Fold in the crabmeat and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Make toppings
In a small bowl, combine apple, shallot, dill, and lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise and remaining 1 tablespoon mustard.
Assemble
Spread mayonnaise mixture onto bread and top with pickled crab. Top with relish and serve.
Note: Reserve the crab shells and steaming liquid separately for stock. Both freeze well for later use.
Pro Tips
Pair it Up
A dry cider fits the laid-back, easy appetizer energy of these tiny toasts. Bubbles bring a bit of acidity, which complements both the crab and the tart and tangy apple-shallot relish.
Level it Up
Add a dollop of créme fraîche for added richness.
Change it Up
Combine any leftover crab and relish with a touch of mayonnaise and serve in lettuce cups for a light and refreshing lunch.
Lighten it Up
For a lower carb or gluten free alternative, swap cucumber or apple slices for the bread.
Know Your Cook
Grace Parisi
Culinary Director Grace Parisi is a cook, writer and cookbook author. Formerly the Senior Test Kitchen Editor at Food & Wine Magazine and Executive Food Director at TimeInc Books, her work has appeared in Cooking Light, Health, O Magazine, Epicurious, Fitness, Today, Serious Eats, Martha Stewart, and many more. She’s the author of more than 6 books, among them The Portlandia Cookbook and Get Saucy, which was nominated for a James Beard award for Best Single Subject Cookbook.
