Radio personality Steve Rouse may have some explaining to do. I’m
making crab meltaways tonight for a holiday party, and I thought of a
reader’s comments about Steve’s broiled crab puff recipe that we
featured in our July issue.
At the time, Dale Doeller of Towson wrote, “While I’m not exactly
questioning Steve’s ‘invention,’ I have a similar recipe that I got from
a friend some 40 years ago.”
The irony is that I have the same recipe that Dale has. Evidently, a
lot of us do. If you google “crab meltaways,” you get 120,000 responses.
What I like about this recipe is that it can be made ahead of time
and then frozen. When you’re ready to serve the appetizer, you pop the
crab triangles onto a cookie sheet and broil them for a few minutes
until they’re bubbly. They’re always a hit.
But you decide. Here’s Dale’s recipe along with Steve Rouse’s. There’s not much difference. Enjoy both!
Broiled Crab Meltaways
Cook’s notes: I usually use butter instead of margarine and always
double the recipe. I freeze them on cookie sheets, covered with foil,
and then put them in zip bags. That way you can take out as many out as
you like and broil them. These really are great!
1 package (six) English muffins
½ pound crabmeat
1 stick margarine
1 (6 ounce) jar Old English sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon garlic salt
Slice English muffins in half, then cut each half into fourths, and
arrange on two cookie sheets. Mix remaining ingredients well on medium
speed of mixer. Spread the mixture on the English muffin quarters.
Freeze them at least 30 minutes even if you plan to use them that night.
They may be kept frozen for weeks. Broil until they puff up and are
bubbly and slightly golden. They take just a few minutes. Serve hot.
—From Dale Doeller
Broiled Crab Puffs
Cook’s notes: “These are the most delicious things on the face of the
earth,” says Steve Rouse, who can also be found on his six-acre farm in
Fallston when he’s not on the radio. “You have a bite-sized or
two-bite-sized piece of heaven.”
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1 (five-ounce) jar Kraft Old English sharp cheddar
4 tablespoons Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons French’s regular mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
10 saltine crackers, crushed
6 English muffins
Set broiler to high. Pick over the crabmeat to remove shells. Heat
the jar of cheese in the microwave until softened. Combine all
ingredients except the crab and muffins, and mix well. Gently stir in
the crabmeat, and spread the mix over each muffin half.
Cut each half into quarters and then place on a cookie sheet. Place
the cookie sheet about six inches from the broiler, five to 10 minutes,
until the tops are golden and the mixture is bubbly. Watch to make sure
they don’t burn (if they get too brown, they are too close to the
broiler).
—From Steve Rouse
Check out other local celebrity crab-dip recipes.
Photo courtesy of tastebook.com