WARM CRAB AND ARTICHOKE DIP IN A BREAD BOWL FROM STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE'S CHEF RACHELLE BOUCHER

WARM CRAB AND ARTICHOKE DIP IN A BREAD BOWL FROM STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE'S CHEF RACHELLE BOUCHER image

Yield 5 Cups

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium leek, white and light green part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 medium shallots, minced
1 Tablespoon of "Old Bay" brand seafood seasoning
1 cup half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½" cubes
1cup grated white cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cup drained and finely chopped cooked or canned artichoke hearts
12 ounces Dungeness (or other) crab meat , picked clean of any shells*
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, and more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb. crusty loaf of bread, sourdough or other
Cut carrots, celery, cooked artichoke petals, pita crisps or extra sliced bread for dipping

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F bake or 375°F convection. 2. To make the toasted bread bowl, cut off the top inch of the loaf and scoop out the bread inside leaving a ½" thick crust. Cut the bread you removed from the inside into bread cubes for dipping. Place bread bowl with the bread lid and bread cubes beside it on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. 3. To make the crab dip, melt butter and oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat, add leeks and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add shallots and sauté for 2 more minutes. Stir in Old Bay seasoning. Add half-and-half and heat gently to a simmer. Reduce heat and whisk in cream cheese, a few pieces at a time. Remove from heat and slowly stir in grated cheddar cheese. Add mustard, Tabasco, Worcestershire, lemon juice and salt. Blend well. Add artichoke hearts, crab meat, parsley and black pepper to taste. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings. To serve; with the toasted bread bowl on the sheet pan, pour crab dip into the bowl and heat at 400°F for just 10 minutes until heated through. Garnish with additional chopped parsley and surround with any combination of celery or carrot sticks, cooked artichoke petals, pita chips, sliced bread and toasted bread cubes. When the bread bowl is almost empty, cut it into two bite pieces for a final treat! * for a vegetarian version, substitute crab for one pound of cooked, drained, finely chopped spinach.