A Blue Crab Christmas

Finger Foods, Sides, and Mains

I’m all for having a blue Christmas…A Blue Crab Christmas! That’s certainly a lot more cheery, and definitely more delicious, than Elvis’ version (long live the king). 

We love featuring blue crabs on our holiday table. From crab cakes to whole crabs, there’s just a natural versatility to blue crabs. We’ve mapped out a few of our favorite blue crab holiday recipes, covering the range of finger foods, entrees, and side dishes 

Our Favorite Blue Crab Holiday Finger Food… Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms

We boosted these stuffed mushroom appetizers with mega blue crab-appeal! Baby portobello mushrooms are stuffed with a garlicky-cheesy-crab cake filling. If you’re planning a holiday party or are invited to a Christmas potluck, you must give this shroomy appetizer a try. Our crabby twist on the classic.

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Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 lb. baby portobello or cremini mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1 shallot peeled and minced
• 8 oz Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Mix
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove stems from the mushrooms, set mushroom caps aside on a large baking sheet, and finely mince the stems.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add chopped mushroom stems, garlic, and shallot to the skillet and sauté until tender and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer veggies to a large bowl.
• Add crab cake mix, 1/4 cup parmesan (reserving the remaining parmesan for topping the stuffed mushrooms), thyme, and parsley to the bowl, and stir to combine the stuffing.
• Fill mushrooms evenly with stuffing and sprinkle with reserved parmesan cheese.
• Bake mushrooms for about 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender, cooked through, and the tops are golden. Serve warm.

Our Favorite Blue Crab Holiday Entree… Mediterranean Blue Crab Stew

Celebrate the holidays the Mediterranean way with a rich, warming blue crab stew. Seafood is a way of life in the Mediterranean and this stew is a classic interpretation of the holiday recipes found in that region. A delicious crab stew cooked in a white wine-tomato broth with oodles flavor, thanks to the garlic, capers, lemon, dill, and oregano. Fork-flaked white fish and tender potatoes turns this into a very hearty meal.

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Mediterranean Blue Crab Stew

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 each yellow onion peeled and minced
• 2 each garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup celery diced
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 1 each can 14.5oz diced tomatoes
• 1 cup seafood or vegetable broth
• 1 3/4 cups yellow potatoes cut into bite-sized cubes
• 4-6 each Premium Large Male Maryland Crabs top shells removed and cleaned
• 1 teaspoons dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until veggies begin to soften.
• Add wine and lemon juice to the pot, stir to combine, and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
• Add capers, diced tomatoes, broth, potatoes, crabs, dill, and oregano, bring to a simmer.
• Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes.

Our Favorite Blue Crab Holiday Side Dish.. Jumbo Lump Crab Macaroni and Cheese

This legendary jumbo lump crab mac and cheese recipe is the ultimate in classy comfort food, perfect for Xmas dinner. Pasta shells are tossed together with a super creamy cheese sauce, made using a combination of gruyere and sharp cheddar. The final pièce de résistance is a crunchy, buttery ritz cracker topping.

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Jumbo Lump Crab Macaroni and Cheese

serves 4-6 

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz box of pasta shells or macaroni noodles
• 1 stick salted butter
• 2 each garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1 shallot peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 4 cups gruyere cheese grated
• 3 cups sharp cheddar grated
• 1 lb. Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Meat
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 cup ritz cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup salted butter melted
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta shells according to the instructions on the package, drain, and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add garlic and shallots, sauté until veggies are fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour, creating a roux, and cook for another minute. Add milk to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring milk to a low simmer, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened.
• Add cheeses to the milk, a handful at a time, whisking to combine, and waiting until the cheese has melted before adding the next handful.
• Add jumbo lump crab meat, gently stir to combine, and season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Place cooked pasta shells in a large bowl and add the crabby-cheese sauce, stir to combine. Transfer mac and cheese to a large oven-proof skillet, spreading out in an even layer, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, place ritz cracker crumbs, melted butter, and parsley, stir until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the mac and cheese and place in the oven.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes or until mac and cheese is bubbly and cracker topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Buy Maryland Blue Crab Online

You can buy crab cakes, whole blue crabs, and jumbo lump crab meat (as well as many other delicious seafood products) from our online store. All of Cameron’s Maryland Crab Meat comes straight from the Chesapeake Bay to your door with guaranteed freshness. The best crab meat in the world comes from Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs!

Show us how you manage meals during the holidays. Whether you make these delicious recipes or have one of your own that you would like to share-we’d love to hear from you. Post your own Cameron’s Seafood dish on Instagram and tag us @cameronsseafoodonline. We’re also on Facebook and Twitter, we look forward seeing your creations.

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