Crab Meat Canapé
This is a dish for company or a special occasion. It is large enough for a luncheon entrée; it may also be served as an appetizer. The dish is well known by habitués of Galatoire's Restaurant on Bourbon Street, New Orleans.
1 cup Béchamel Sauce Louisiannaise
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 lb (about 0.5 kg) jumbo or regular-size fresh white lump crab meat (from the body only, not the claws)
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
2 tsp Parmesan cheese
4 slices toast
1 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Pick over crabmeat carefully with your fingers to assure the absence of crab shell. This is necessary.
Sauté green onions in butter over medium heat until soft. Do not allow onions to brown.
Add white lumpfish crab meat, then fold in béchamel sauce. When mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat and fold in beaten egg yolks.
Refrigerate mixture for 10 minutes in order to form canapés. Or, let stay in refrigerator overnight until ready to use.
10 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 °F (190 °C).
Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl.
Trim the ends of the toast. Place trimmed toast on a baking sheet and spoon refrigerated crabmeat mixture onto toast using an ice-cream scoop.
Sprinkle canapés with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese mixture. Dot each canapé with soft butter.
Bake canapés for 20 minutes.
20 minutes
Garnish each serving with flat-leaf parsley and a wedge of lemon.