Cheater, Cheater, King Crab Eater

You all remember Popeye, right?

“I had all I can stand. I can’t stands no more!”

No. More. Fish. I can’t stands no more! Except for one small problem. I said I would make one fish recipe a week during lent. And I just counted, and there are 10 days of Lent left. Crap.

I’m really trying. Fish is o.k., I just don’t want to eat it once a week, ya know? Thank goodness I’m not Catholic. I just couldn’t deal. I guess I don’t have the wherewithal. (I’ve always wanted a reason to type that word: wherewithal. Strange word, don’t you think?)

Well, anyhow, since I promised I would make one fish recipe a week, I’m going to follow through. That’s right. You can count on me. I’m trustworthy, honest, and sick to death of fish. So, I’m going to cheat a bit and make King Crab Puffs.

That’s not really cheating. It’s crab, which is seafood, and it’s the same thing as far as the food pyramid is concerned. Of course, I’m pretty sure chicken, beef, and fish are all the same thing on the food pyramid. But, let’s not think about that. Let’s think about cheesy, delectable King Crab Puffs. Hot from the oven . . . Mmmm.

These are super simple. They would make a great appetizer, or you can use them like I did and serve them along with soup and salad (we’re having potato soup with our puffs). And, in a pinch, they count as a fish recipe for Lent.

It’s kind of interesting how I found this recipe, you see, my Mother in Law is one of the kindest ladies I know. If your kid is selling something, you really need to seek her out, because you’re pretty much guaranteed a sale. This is how she ends up with a dozen magazine subscriptions – she buys one from every kid that’s selling magazines. Recently she brought over her latest stack (she gives them to me, I told you, she’s kind) and it included a publication I’ve never purchased before, Simple and Delicious Magazine. So far, I’m really impressed with this magazine. It has good recipes for everyday food that my family will like. I was able to pull 30-some recipes from one issue that I knew I would be willing to try. That’s a lot for one magazine, folks! Anyhow, that’s where this recipe comes from, along with many others recipes I’ll be cooking in upcoming months. Well, on with it then . . .

King Crab Puffs
Adapted from: Simple and Delicious Magazine

(can be doubled) As written makes about 2 dozen.
1 can (6 ounces) crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
1 large green onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In small bowl combine crab, green onion, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a boil.
Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in crab mixture.