One of my favorite seafood dishes has been crab imperial. In Baltimore where I grew up, great crab dishes were common. Unfortunately, most crab imperial recipes use breading and other non-Paleo ingredients in the mixture. Here is my arrangement to fit my Paleo lifestyle.
PALEO CRAB IMPERIAL IN PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM CAPS
There are 3 steps to this recipe:
1. Preparation of the large mushroom caps
2. Preparation of crab mixture
3. Preparation of topping
1. Ingredients for Large Portobello Mushroom Caps:
4 large Portobello mushrooms
4 tbs butter or Ghee
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parchment paper and baking sheet
Preparation:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the stem (you also may want to scoop out some of the gills to make more room for crab mixture).
• Melt the butter or Ghee in a large saucepan on medium heat and place the mushroom caps.
• Sauté for about 5 minutes on each side. You’ll see that they’ll flatten out and start to look brownish. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Place on parchment paper that lines a baking sheet (cookie sheet).
2. Ingredients for Crab Mixture:
3 free-range eggs
1 tbs parsley
1 tsp mustard (wet)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Paleo)
Few drops Worcestershire sauce
1 lb lump crab meat (drain excess water)
Preparation:
• Combine the eggs, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce in a small mixing bowl and blend well.
• Place the crab meat in the mixing bowl. Gently combine the ingredients.
• Spoon the crab-meat mixture on top of the mushroom caps gill-side up (already on the parchment paper lined trays).
• There will be extra crab mixture which can be placed in a baking glass container to bake along with the stuffed mushroom caps.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
3. Ingredients for Topping:
6 tbs. mayonnaise (Paleo), or plain full-fat yogurt (I like 7 Stars Farm brand of yogurt)
1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Sprinkling of paprika
Preparation:
• While the crab is cooking, combine topping ingredients (mayonnaise or yogurt, seafood seasoning, lemon juice & Worcestershire sauce) in a medium mixing bowl and whip until smooth.
• After crab is finished baking, remove from oven and switch oven to broil.
• Top each baked crab imperial with the topping and a sprinkling of paprika.
• Place in broiler to finish off until imperials start to brown.
• Serve hot.
