REC #4: And Yet Another Spinach, Artichoke and Crab Spread
(This recipe comes from an Indianapolis STAR newspaper article that appeared in the Fresh Servings column written by Donna Segal on Wednesday, June 9, 2004.)
In the following recipe, the flavor comes from the generous amount of fresh ingredients. Rather than using frozen spinach that must be thawed and thoroughly drained or squeezed dry, this recipe is very quickly assembled with convenient prewashed spinach leaves. Imitation crab meat will keep the price down without jeopardizing the quality, or you can splurge and savor the real thing. It's best to bake the mixture in a wide, shallow dish so that each person can get some fo the Parmesan topping with each scoop.
Or you may go fancy and bake the mixture in miniature muffin cups lined with flattened white bread rounds. These adorable little two-bite goodies look labor-intensive, but actually come together quite quickly.
This recipe, like all recipes, should be an idea-arouser. Add or leave out ingredients that work (or do not work) for you. For example, sliced water chestnuts, sauteed mushrooms, toasted almonds and/or roasted red peppers are also great in this spread.
And Yet Another Spinach, Artichoke and Crab Spread
2 teaspoons oil
1 small onion or 5 green onions, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, -or- 3 to 4 drops hot pepper sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
3 heaping cups fresh spinach leaves
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained & cut into fourths
3 Tablespoons sour cream
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon horseradish
3 to 6 ounces cooked flaked crab or imitation crab
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
--Butter a 9-inch pie plate or ramekin. (I prefer using a 10-inch pie plate or 10-inch ceramic quiche dish.) Heat oil in a skillet. Saute chopped onions, chopped jalapeno (if using hot sauce, add it later), and garlic until soft. Stir in spinach leaves and artichoke hearts, cooking until spinach is wilted.
--Put mixture in a food processor and process just to mix. It should be lumpy. Stir in the sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, flaked crab, salt and pepper to taste, 6 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, and the hot sauce now, if using. (Do NOT process too long--I like the artichokes to retain some form instead of the mixture being reduced to a paste.)
--Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
--Serve as a spread for crackers, crisp bread rounds, pita chips or on wedges of green, red or yellow bell peppers.
Tartlets: To bake mixture in miniature tartlet shells, flatten 12 to 16 slices of white bread with a rolling pin, or use thin-sliced bread. Lightly brush both sides of bread with oil or butter.
Use a 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut each slice into circles, getting two per slice of bread. Press rounds into miniature muffin cups. Fill with the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and bake in a 350-degree oven 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bread is golden. Let cool 1 minute. Remove from pan and serve warm.
