Pot lucks often offer very predictable fare. You may have eaten your share of tortilla chips and salsa or spinach dips. For something your guests or hosts may not expect, consider one of numerous crab dip recipes available on-line or in found recipe books. These dips offer a versatile option because they can be rich, light, spicy or even gluten-free.
If you think serving crab may be a risk, perhaps start with your cheapest option. Both imitation and canned crab meat can be available inexpensively. Imitation crab tastes and feels very different from the real thing. If your children like the taste of the canned meat better, progressing to real, fresh crab from a supplier of fresh seafood will then be justified.
You then need to find a recipe for cold or hot dip. Cold dips often use canned crab meat, making them idea for children. Choose or adapt according to what your child can do in the kitchen.
Hot dips will likely require older hands to get involved, so fresh crab may work well here. Fresh crab needs to be cooked anyway. Pre-cooked or imitation crab might send out overwhelming aromas or canned crab may become overdone when cooked, while the mild flavor of fresh crab will blend in nicely with other ingredients producing inviting smells.
Cold crab dips recipes often provide a creamy appetizer. You can expect to use cream cheese to make a rich, heavy recipe. Replacing this with quark or cottage cheese will lighten the texture and the calories, but will also be runnier. Try a flavored cream cheese instead of adding extra herbs, onions or garlic. Other additions you might want to consider are mayonnaise, sour cream or plain yogurt. Cheese frequently finds its way into these concoctions too and here your choices continue. Consider a Mexican style cheese and salsa to mix with your meat, or a creamy dill Havarti with the seafood and some lemon juice to balance the flavors.
Give your dip a zesty quality with lemon and dill or lime. Mix in minced garlic, olives, onions, tomatoes and lemon juice for a Greek style. A pre-made bottled salad dressing provides an easy way to flavor your dip, such as a Caesar dressing, Catalina or Thousand Island. For other spice options, shake in a drop or two of Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, some jalapenos or other fiery addition.
Hot dips come in two styles. One takes the simple cold dip and merely heats this up, thus melting any cheese in the recipe either within or on top of the dip and releasing more of the aromas. Other baked options mix in eggs and flour, creating more of a casserole style dip.
Presentation makes up a big part of the dining experience. No matter how your child mixes the food on his plate, he wants the food to look good when you serve it to him. Try filling scooped-out bread rolls with your dip or small hollowed-out tomatoes. Do not waste the tomato, but add this in to the dip. Use chips or vegetables such celery, carrots or cauliflower to eat your dip. Top wit colorful cheese, a sprinkle of paprika or some lemon or lime wedges. Cut through the richness of this meat or the thick dairy base of your dip with a crisp drink offering the balance of citrus. Wines such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer or some Chardonnays pair nicely with seafood. For children or adults who prefer a non-alcoholic beverage, consider lemon tea or citrus-flavored soft drink.
Want to give your guests a treat at your next gathering? You will need to know more about crab dip recipes. There are a number of crab recipes available.