CRAB WITH DILL ON CAYENNE TOASTS

Crab with Dill on Cayenne Toasts image

Yield Makes 24 canapés

Number Of Ingredients 13

For toasts
6 slices firm white sandwich bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
For crab
6 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill leaves
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Garnish: 24 fresh dill sprigs

Steps:

Make toasts:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stack bread slices and cut off crusts. Quarter slices to make twenty-four 1 1/2-inch squares and arrange squares on a baking sheet. In a small saucepan melt butter and stir in cayenne and salt. Brush tops of squares with butter mixture and bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool toasts on a rack. Toasts may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Make crab:
Pick over crab meat to remove any bits of shell and cartilage (being careful not to break up lumps). In a small bowl stir together remaining ingredients with salt to taste and gently stir in crab. Crab mixture may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
Just before serving, mound about 1/2 tablespoon crab mixture on each toast and garnish with dill.