For the last two years my family has had a pot luck Mother's Day dinner. I made crab imperial this year and interestingly enough, none of the guests under forty had ever had the dish.

In years gone by, while accompanying out-of-towners on the inevitable trip to Phillips Harborplace, I'd have the crab imperial entree. Curiously, their current menu only has crab imperial in combination dishes, although the Phillips restaurants in Ocean City still offer it as a separate entree.

Seaside in Glen Burnie sells crab pretzels. I don't much care for them, but they seem popular there.

Yes! Good one, Hal. EL

In the mists of time, when the Sun had a Sunday Magazine (but no Elizabeth Large), it published the crab imperial recipe from the then top of the pile Chesapeake Restaurant. From then forward crab cakes came off the family menu and crab imperial took pride of place. It remains there to-day.

I think the fall of crab imperial is directly related to the rise of crab dip. I know they are not exactly the same, but I think they are close enough that people have begun to associate that taste and texture as an appetizer and not a main course.

The Crack Pot's Hawaiian crab cake made with ham and pineapple.

RtSO said: the crab imperial recipe from the then top of the pile Chesapeake Restaurant

Can you share the recipe? I haven't decided whether or not I want to make it, but I'm very curious to analyze it.

The Crack Pot's Hawaiian crab cake made with ham and pineapple

That sounds really disgusting!

I love Crab Imperial but fail to understand why it's so expensive in most restaurants. I mean when you're really only getting as much crab as there is in one good sized crab cake and it's mixed with all the other junk that make it "Imperial" why does it often cost what 2 crab cakes or "fish of the day with Imperial topping" cost? Is it just the places I've been going to?
I was recently reading old cook book recipes to re-discover Crab Louie. Apparently quite the crowd pleaser of it's day but rarely if ever seen on todays menus.

I'll second Hal on the crab pretzel - I've seen them at the Rocky Run (local) chain in Columbia / Glen Burnie, and I think at Green Turtle.

Oh yes, and Nacho Mama's has at least one variety of crab quesadilla.

Hunan Delight, a Chinese restaurant in my hometown of Olney, MD in Montgomery County does a softshell crap apecial every now and then when they can get them. The one I can remember was sauteed softshell crab and asparagas in a szechwan sauce. Pretty great.

I've had Spider Rolls at a number of local sushi restaurants which is fried softshells wrapped in rice. A bit weird when brought to the table with the legs sticking out.

Crab pretzels have become a staple on bar menus in the area in the last few years. Silver Spring Mining Co claims to be "Home of the Original Crab Pretzel" but I've had better elsewhere.

When I was a kid my favorite thing to do with crabmeat (usually leftover from a steamed crab feast) was to make crab melts on English muffins. A little mayo, J.O. seasoning, and topped with cheddar cheese...mmmmy mouth is watering...

My grandmother recently told me she had a craving for a fried hard crab but I don't know where to take her for one. Like you said, these things just aren't on menus anymore.

And unusual crab preparation that I'm actually fond of is spider rolls from sushi joints. Fried soft crab inside the roll, with the legs sticking out (hence the "spider" name). Quite tasty!

i wonder if we are going to get a thread to discuss some blasphemous or terrible crab dishes?

For Selina --
Bo Brooks in Canton has the fried hard crab on their menu. Last time I was there the service was slow but the food was decent.

Hal, VoR, YSH, I need to digitize the recipe and update for 'modern adjustments', but it will appear.

Ms. Joyce W. I would guess the price differential is because crab imperial properly done is all jumbo lump; lesser picks give you a crabcake with sauce. Also, possibly, because crab imperial is an up-scale presentation where as crabcakes have traditionaly been bar food served on saltines. I know, they've gone upscale, but crabcakes are just seafood bologna.

Greg S.: I'm a little scared of your "J.O. seasoning".

*ducks and runs away"

Mark wrote: Nacho Mama's has at least one variety of crab quesadilla.

Their Crab & Corn quesadilia is actually quite good, the buttery corn mixes well with the crab, as does the black beans...surprisingly. It's definitely not Maryland Blue Crab, though.

As for the crab pretzel, good luck not finding a crab pretzel on any decent pub grub menu in or around the city. When in College Park, check out the crab pretzel at RJ Bentley's.

Ocean Pride has the best Crab Fluff in the area. It was the first place I've ever had one, and I always get one when I go there (althoguh it's been years since I've been there).

Crab fluffs in general are simply wonderful, but damn, they are bad for you !! :-(.

Why is it that everything so good has to be so bad????

RtSO said: I need to digitize the recipe and update for 'modern adjustments'

Don't "update" it...let's see it just like it was! I love reading old recipes.

While not containing any crab at all, I find the UTZ Crab Chips to be Horrifically addictive.

Any hardcore, old school Baltimorean will have his or her crabcakes fried. As far as I'm concerned it's the only way.

Fantastic crab imperial and other crab stuffs can be found at the Hopkins Club. Grab a member and get over there to try it. Great stuff.

Hal, VoR, YSH, —

The Chesapeake Restaurant Crab Imperial

Original —

Mis en place

3 lbs. lump crabmeat
1 green pepper, diced
2/3 cup diced pimientos
1 cup mayonnaise [top quality. This is not a time for house brand or any reduced fat version, really]
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. salt [seems like a lot of salt by to-day’s tastes]
pepper to taste [I think white pepper is assumed]
paprika
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Pre-heat oven to 350° F

Preparation

Combine mustard, salt, pepper, eggs, and mayonnaise. Mix well then add pepper, pimientos (if you use a whisk; they get inside and don't want to come out)
Pick over crab for shells; add with fingers to mixture to avoid breaking lumps.
Divide into 8 scallop shells or individual casseroles.
Top each with a dollop of mayonnaise and paprika and bake (about 15 minutes)

+*+*+*
Reduced for 1 lb of crab meat —

Mis en place

1 lb Jumbo lump crab meat
¼ Cup (or less, to taste) small dice green bell pepper
¼ Cup (or less, to taste) small dice red bell pepper
½ Cup mayonnaise [see note above.]
Mayonnaise to top
3 - 4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Egg
Salt & white pepper to taste
paprika

Pre-heat oven to 350° F

Preparation

Combine mustard, salt, pepper, eggs, and mayonnaise. Mix well. Especially if you use a whisk, only now add peppers.
Pick over crab for shells; with fingers add to mixture to avoid breaking lumps.
Cooking alternative – bake in a small casserole dish; spread top with mayonnaise & sprinkle with paprika.
Baking time is still about 15 minutes. Done when nicely browned and bubbling in the centre.

Baking in a single casserole is much easier and quicker. Portioning out to shells only leads to 'his is bigger' problems (and that's the adults.) The mix seems to hold up well to Dejon mustard, so 'prepared' aka yellow or hot dog mustard can be retired.

~*~*~*

BTW although this is wonderful served hot, for a midnight refrigerator raid, cold its equally good. The problem is to have enough to have to refrigerate it.

Finally, if you do the 3 pound version, remember your main ingredient costs almost as much as a rib roast. So while this maybe summer food, its the equivalent of a holiday dinner. Treat it as such.

R(tSO) - may have to leave work and pick up ingredients immediately - mouth watering over here!

Joyce W.,

If you're in the mood for a field trip, Crab Louie is still common on many menus in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, although it is made with dungeness instead of blue crab.

Upon review my post about szechwan crab, i realized i mispelled the word crab so that it appears as a rather untasty alternative. Rest assured they serve softshell craBs.

Come on Stacy, get your head out of the gutter :)

J.O. Spice's crab seasoning trumps Old Bay in the opinion of many Marylanders

http://www.jospices.com/

Mr. C Dick, one of the joys of the Sandbox is to see what nasty typos (the result of typing too quickly to get your thoughts down, sort of the equivalent of waving you raised hand and whispering 'Call on me. Call on me.') get posted.

Some of us natives of Baltimore do not care for bell peppers and a lot of other stuff in their crab imperial. Here is an alternative.

Crab Imperial

1# Crab, backfin lump, good quality
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1TBS. Dijon
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. Old bay

Combine mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire, and Old Bay in a bowl.
Add crab and gently toss to combine.
Butter individual baking dishes; add crab mixture; place dishes on a cookie sheet and put in preheated oven; bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; pre-heat broiler.

Imperial topping:
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 C. Mayonnaise
Pinch of Paprika
1 TBS. Chopped parsley

Combine topping ingredients and spoon over each dish.
Place under broiler until nicely browned.
Serves 4.

This comes from a review of many, many Crab Imperial recipes, many of which include red or green sweet pepper, Tabasco, chives or onion, capers, bread crumb topping, a flour and half and half sauce, herbs such as thyme and oregano, chopped pimiento, cubed bread, hard boiled eggs, dry sherry, grated orange rind, and heavy cream. Most of these are Maryland recipes and most of them include either green or red sweet pepper or both. What I ended up with may or may not qualify for the name “crab imperial.” The imperial topping is from John Shields, Chesapeake Bay Cooking. His recipe for imperial includes diced red bell pepper or pimiento and diced green bell pepper.

I would appreciate if someone could share a recipe for crab fluff. I absolutely love them and would like to try to make it at home.

I would like to have the recipe for the batter used in frying hard crabs.

EL & the D@L Family,

I had a coworker inquire about where she could get some fried hardshells. She was in Lexington Market this past weekend looking for them and had a less than desirable experience, but what did she expect?.

She's in Silver Spring but willing to travel to Baltimore to get them. Any ideas?

the last hard fried crab that i had was at woodbine inn on 94 in carroll county. it was a while ago so i'd call before venturing there.

You can sample fried hard crabs and crab fluff anytime at Stevensville Crab Shack. Take your first right after crossing the bay bridge (heading east). Can't miss it.

Both crab fluffs and fried hard crabs are on the regular menu at Gunnings, and have been so for years. Been a while since I had either, but both were very good. Very easy to get to for someone coming from points south.
Plus, at Gunnings, you can get fried green peppers to go with them!