I’m the guy who eats with his hands only if the food is shielded by a dry starch. Can I get an amen? Burritos and tacos, check. BLT, check. Chinese steamed buns, check. Whenever I’ve been faced with the prospect of sitting at a picnic table, overlooking the bay, and handed a tray of steaming hot ruby-red crabs, a tiny hammer and a bib … Well, I’ll let you imagine my reaction. This “stuffing” is great, but please, for the sake of civilization, serve it with a fork.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chile powder
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 4-oz can roasted green chiles, diced
- ½ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 8 oz ham, diced
- 1½ -lb loaf crusty bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 oz crab meat, backfin or lump
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups chicken or seafood broth, cooled
- ½ cup milk
How to Make It
- Place a skillet over medium heat. Add butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion, celery, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining seasonings, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the contents to a large mixing bowl.
- To this mixing bowl, stir in the chiles, parsley, ham, and bread cubes. Then, gently fold in crab.
- Coat the bottom and sides of a baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scrape the bread mixture into the baking dish, making sure to evenly distribute it across the dish.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg, broth, milk, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Slowly pour the liquid over the mixture in the baking dish, being sure that some of the liquid reaches most, if not all, of the bread. Use a clean hand, the back of a wooden spoon, or spatula, to compress the whole mixture to ensure that the liquid is evenly distributed.
- Cover with plastic wrap and transfer the baking dish to the refrigerator for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator, uncover, and transfer to the center rack of the oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is begins to brown and get crusty. Remove the “stuffing” from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Smothering a healthy scoop of this with gravy is a special treat!
