Simple yet sophisticated, these crab toasts are ready in 10 minutes and make an excellent pairing with champagne! Happy New Year!

Ingredients

  • 1 6 ounce can crab
  • 4 Tbsp mayo
  • 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp Pimiento olives, sliced (about 4-5 olives)
  • ¾ tsp ground mustard seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  •  1/3 c + 1 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
  • Dash of Tabasco (to taste)
  • *Sliced baguette, ½ in slices or sourdough bread, cut into squares with crusts removed; you can also use cocktail toast if you can find it!

Tools & Timing

  • Cookie sheet (13 x 9 is preferable; if you use a smaller sheet, you will need to do smaller batches)
  • Aluminum foil
  • 2 Medium prep bowls and spoon (or whisk)
  • Small, sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Small spatulas, rubber and cookie
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Timing: 10 minutes, Yield: about 40 toasts (makes a bit less than 1 cup of spread)

Background

In my childhood, every year for Christmas, we’d head to my grandparents’ for a holiday celebration….and I can remember feeling so sophisticated and celebratory as, every year, my grandma would serve these crab toasts and champagne.

With so many things feeling off these past months, it felt appropriate to ring in this new year with comforting tradition and sophistication – Happy New Year!

Step-by-step

Prep work:

  1. Using a small, sharp knife, thinly slice your green onions until you’ve measured out 1 Tbsp. Place in first prep bowl.
  2. Then, slice your pimento olives until you have 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp. worth and place these in the same prep bowl. (You have the option to cut these into smaller pieces if you’d like; I think they look more aesthetically pleasing in whole slices but I actually prefer them cut into smaller cubes.)
  3. Open and drain crab meat – after using a can opener to break the seal, leave the can lid in place. Hold the can lid in place as you invert the can to drain the meat – and really press on the can lid to ensure that as much liquid as possible drains out!
  4. Slice your baguette into ½ in slices or prep your sourdough by cutting slices into 1.5 x 1.5 inch squares or 1.5 x 2 inch rectangles (if using bread slices, remove crusts – I use these crusts later for croutons, toast, etc.).

Combine ingredients:

  1. Measure your mayo, dry mustard, lemon juice, tabasco, and salt into your second prep bowl (use your small spatula to transfer the mayo from your measuring spoon into the bowl). Whisk or stir with a spoon to incorporate all ingredients.
  2. Add drained crab and cheese into your first prep bowl (the one with your olives and green onions). Toss to blend.
  3. Add your crab mixture into your wet ingredients; mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated (as best as possible).

When ready to broil:

  1. Cover a cookie sheet in aluminum.
  2. Move an oven rack to the top 1/3 of the oven. Turn on broiler to low.
  3. Place toasts or baguette slices onto cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil, leaving a bit of space in between each.
  4. Spoon crab meat mixture onto toasts, leaving space around the edges.
  5. Place on oven rack and broil for 3-5 minutes until edges are light brown and cheese is melting (this took me about 3 1/2 minutes).
  6. Use a small spatula to transfer onto a serving plate. Serve immediately!

Serve and Enjoy

Other Options

The mix for these toasts can be made earlier that day; simply prep and mix all ingredients and then store in the fridge in a covered container.