Crab Toast

By Gabrielle Hamilton

YIELD 4 servings

TIME 30 minutes

Like the very best crab cakes on earth, which have as little dulling, distracting or deadening filler as possible, these crab toasts take that ethos to the extreme.
There is no call for bell pepper or bread crumbs or diced celery; just the best fresh, sweet, saline crab meat you can buy, gently seasoned with a little lemon
juice, bound with a tiny amount of tangy crème fraîche, then piled onto a slab of good toast, still warm. The toast is made ever so luxurious with a slathering of
nutty brown butter mayonnaise. These two simple components — crab and brown butter toast — act in concert, and a glass of cold rosé to wash them down
makes for the most exhilarating, satisfying spring supper imaginable.

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION

½
cup unsalted butter (1 stick) Step 1

1
whole egg plus 1 egg yolk In a small sauce pot, brown the butter over medium heat, swirling the pot, until the butter is
caramel-colored and has a nutty fragrance, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, scraping up all
2
tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
the milk solids from the bottom and sides of the pot while the butter is still hot, and let cool to
Kosher salt room temperature.
½
cup grapeseed oil
Step 2
12
ounces crab meat
Place the egg and egg yolk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, a healthy pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon
4
teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
cold water in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the
2
teaspoons finely minced chives grapeseed oil. Once all the oil has been added, the mayonnaise should be loose yet emulsified.
1
teaspoon crème fraîche, sour cream, heavy While the processor is still running, slowly drizzle in the brown butter and any toasted milk
cream or half-and-half solids. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

4 to 6
slices pane Francese, black pumpernickel
or other rustic bread, toasted on both sides
Step 3
For the crab salad, gently and quickly mix crab meat, olive oil, chives, crème fraîche and
remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt.

Step 4
Schmear each piece of toasted bread with the brown butter mayonnaise evenly — as we like to
say, “wall to wall.” Divide the crab mixture among the slices, piling it evenly on top.

PRIVATE NOTES

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.