This fabulous and rich Crab Mornay makes a wonderful appetizer for a Christmas party or a great entree for a special holiday dinner!
It’s creamy deliciousness with chunks of briny crabmeat and a hint of sherry, is wonderful in a light as air and flaky puff pastry shell as an entree or serve it in a chafing dish with toasted baguette slices or toast points. You can’t get much more decadent than this, or find a holiday appetizer that is any easier to put together. One secret is frozen puff pastry shells. It’s also a perfect make-ahead dish because you can make the filling the day before, and then just heat it up and add to your puff pastry shells or chafing dish when its time to serve.
This spectacular Crab Mornay appetizer would be a perfect starter for a romantic dinner featuring: Chili Rubbed Ribeye Steak with Maple Bourbon Butter, Sauteed Spinach and Chocolate Pots de Creme for dessert or a great appetizer for your holiday party served with toast points.
This scrumptious recipe is originally from the Mother of my friend, Carolyn from A Southerners Notebook Blog. Carolyn’s Mom most often served it in a chafing dish. It was adapted from Thymes Remembered, published by The Junior League of Tallahassee.
The ingredients for this decadent appetizer include butter, scallions, parsley, flour, half and half, Swiss Cheese, sherry, ground red pepper, claw or lump crabmeat and frozen puff pastry shells.
To bake your puff pastry shells, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Follow the directions on the package, or place the shells on a un-greased baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the shells are puffed and golden brown.
In the meantime, melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan and saute the scallions and parsley over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add the flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Then add the half and half and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
Add sherry, red pepper according to your taste, and gently fold in the crabmeat, taking care not to break up the lumps. Heat for a few minutes, or until the crab is thoroughly heated. (If making ahead, at this point, cover and refrigerate this mixture. Reheat over low heat and serve in baked puff pastry shells.)
Serve immediately in baked puff pastry shells. Garnish with chopped parsley or minced scallion greens. Or place in a chafing dish and serve with toast points or toasted baguette slices
| Servings | appetizer servings |
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 small bunch scallions minced
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 pint half and half
- 8 oz Swiss cheese shredded
- 1 Tbsp Sherry
- 1/4-1/2 tsp ground red pepper
- 1 lb claw or lump crabmeat
- 1 package frozen puff pastry shells
Ingredients
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- To bake your frozen puff pastry shells, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Follow the directions on the package, or place the shells on a un-greased baking sheet and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the shells are puffed and golden brown.
- In the meantime, melt the butter in a heavy medium size saucepan and saute the scallions and parsley over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the flour, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the half and half and cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
- Add sherry, red pepper to taste, and gently fold in the crabmeat, taking care not to break up the lumps. Heat for a few minutes until the crab is throughly heated. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate this mixture. Reheat over low heat and serve in baked puff pastry shells)
- Serve immediately in baked puff pastry shells or place in a chafing dish to keep warm. Garnish with chopped parsley or minced scallion greens.
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I am assuming that you got this recipe from our League cookbook? Interestingly enough this was a recipe of my mothers that I submitted and she prepared many many times. It can also be served on a buffet table in a chafing dish which is how my mother most often served it. When the League wanted to print this recipe they wanted to update it thus placing it in the puff pastry.
Carolyn, thanks so much for letting me know! I’m updating it to mention it originally came from your Mom, and noting that it’s adapted from the Junior League Cookbook!
MMMM this sounds so good! I love anything with crab and this would be perfect on Christmas Eve.