Crabmeat Casserole

Crabmeat. It’s my absolute favorite seafood. More than oysters, more than shrimp, I love me some crabmeat. Not crab legs, mind you. Blue crab. I’d eat a cat turd if it was served with lump crabmeat on the top.

One of my favorite ways to eat crabmeat is in Crabmeat Casserole. This dish is another holiday favorite passed down to us by my godmother’s mother, Hilarie Cain. Aside from the lump crabmeat, which is obvious, it features the two ingredients that can make a casserole a divine experience: mayonnaise and Ritz crackers. This is no diet food.

It is rich and crabby with just a bit of satisfying crunch from the celery. You can make it in little ramekins and serve it as individual appetizers or in a casserole dish as your main course. It’s easy to double or even triple, which is a good thing because once you taste it, you won’t be able to get enough.

Hilarie Cain’s Crabmeat Casserole
Ingredients

• 1 lb lump crabmeat
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
• 1 Tbs finely chopped parsley (save a sprig for garnish)
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and butter a small casserole dish.
2. Pick through your crabmeat and look for shell pieces. There will always be some shell pieces.
3. Mix all the ingredients together reserving ¼ cup of the Ritz crackers.
4. Put the mixture in the baking dish and top with the remaining Ritz crackers.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbly around the edges.