The blending of crab and artichokes in a creamy sauce perfectly seasoned with a few dashes of Tabasco and Worcestershire can’t be beat. This is great for casual get-togethers, yet the crabmeat dresses it up so that it is also welcome at elegant parties.
Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the cream cheese and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cream cheese melts. Add the half-and-half and stir to combine with the cream cheese. Add the horseradish, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces, and the Old Bay Seasoning. Stir well. Fold in the artichoke hearts. Once they are added, gently fold in the crabmeat. Take care to keep the lumps of crabmeat as whole as possible. You will have about 3 cups.
Transfer to a 9- to 10-inch pie plate or similar shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan over the dip and bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the dip is lightly bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside, covered to keep warm.
Turn off the oven and preheat the broiler
Pour the olive oil into a shallow dish. Dip one side of each baguette slice in the oil and put on a broiler tray, oiled side up. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the croutons. Broil the croutons for about 45 seconds about 2 inches from the heat, or until golden brown on top. Watch them carefully.
Garnish the dip with parsley and serve with croutons.
Makes about 3 cups of dip and 16 croutons.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup minced Spanish onion (1 small onion)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 1 ½ teaspoons drained prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 cup sliced artichoke hearts, frozen or canned, packed in brine and drained (5 1/5 ounces)
- 4 ounces lump crabmeat, picked through to remove any shell
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Sixteen ½ – inch thick slices baguette (from a standard 2 ½ – inch-diameter baguette)
- Curly-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish