Hot-Crab and Pimiento-Cheese Spread

Name: Hot-Crab and Pimiento-Cheese Spread
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature; 6 ounces extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups); 0.5 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 8 ounces crab meat, picked over; 0.25 cup chopped pimiento (from a 4-ounce jar); 0.25 cup sliced scallions (from about 3 scallions); 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste; 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt; Hot sauce; 1.5 cups torn rustic bread (from 1 loaf, crust trimmed); Endive leaves, cucumber spears, and celery sticks, for serving

3.0

(44)

By

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on March 20, 2019

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Servings:

8

Chock-full of crab and topped with chunks of rustic bread, this irresistible spread is substantial and hearty. Offer a knife for slathering it onto cut vegetables.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 ounces extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
8 ounces crab meat, picked over
¼ cup chopped pimiento (from a 4-ounce jar)
¼ cup sliced scallions (from about 3 scallions)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Hot sauce
1 ½ cups torn rustic bread (from 1 loaf, crust trimmed)
Endive leaves, cucumber spears, and celery sticks, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mash cream cheese in a bowl until very soft. Add cheddar and 1/2 cup mayonnaise and stir to combine. Stir in crab, pimiento, scallions, lemon juice, salt, and hot sauce to taste. Spoon mixture into two 14-ounce baking dishes, dividing evenly.
Stir together torn bread and remaining 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. Top spread with bread mixture, dividing evenly. Bake on a baking sheet until golden brown and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately with vegetables.

Lennart Weibull