The tidal creeks in and around our home on Tybee Island are home to the variety of Atlantic blue crab whose name, Callinectes sapidus, comes from the Greek for “beautiful swimmer” and Latin for “savory.” Happy are the days we spend with Molly and Griffin, who love netting their beautiful swimmers as much as we do preparing and serving this hot crab dip. Five-year-old Griff especially loves wielding the little wooden mallets used to crack the cooked claws. Sometimes, for a change of pace, I sauté 3 ½ cups baby kale leaves in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, drain in a colander, and add to the dip before baking.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced sweet onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14-oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 lb. claw crabmeat, picked over
1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or two 2-quart baking dishes. Beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the onion-garlic mixture to the cream cheese mixture.
3. Drain the artichoke hearts in a colander, and press down gently with paper towels to remove additional liquid. Add to the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the Old Bay, sherry, and 1 ½ cups of the Parmesan. Fold in the crabmeat.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly. Serve with the toasted baguette slices.