Garlic Butter Scallops and Lemon Crab Dip

Growing up in Indiana, if you would have told me that I would one day be making crab dip in my kitchen, I would have thought you were crazy. Being 500 miles from the Atlantic coast, Indiana doesn't see much fresh seafood. The only time I remember eating fish growing up is either at Red Lobster or Friday Fish Stick Day at school. I'm sure things have changed a little since then, but I doubt Indiana's seafood options are anywhere near what they have in Maryland. Living near Annapolis, we've been out to eat crabs several times, but I've never made my own crab dip. It's incredibly messy and involves a mallet, a sharp knife, and a bucket. Check out this video for an in depth explanation. It's quite a lot of work, but I've discovered that the taste is worth the effort.

Since crab dip doesn't quite make a dinner (although that is definitely arguable), I decided to pair the crabs with some fresh scallops. This Garlic Butter Scallops recipe is delicious and easy to prepare. They only take a few minutes to cook. In my opinion, scallops go well with light semi-dry white wines, such as a Riesling. I also served them with arugula, pears, and cheese.

Before we know it, it will be crab season here in Maryland. Dinner this weekend was just a small preview of the possibilities to come. Considering how time consuming crab picking is, I'm not sure how often I will be making crabs at home. However, as for the Maryland crab eating tradition, I think I've been converted.


Garlic Butter Scallops Ingredients
1 lbs of Sea Scallops
3 Tbsp of Butter
2 stalks of Green Onion, diced
3 cloves of Garlic, diced
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Bunch of Arugula
1 Fresh Pear


Garlic Butter Scallops Directions
Heat butter over in a saute pan. Add garlic and green onions. Simmer for a few seconds and then add the scallops. Saute for a few minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked. Salt and pepper to taste. Lay the scallops over arugula. Slice pear and place it on the side of the salad. Squeeze lemon juice over the whole dish before serving. I also added a piece of soft Swiss cheese.

 

Lemon Crab Dip

1 Fresh Crab! (cooked or uncooked...) I went with pre-cooked.

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper

Sprinkle of Paprika

Crostini for serving

Lemon Crab Dip Directions

Pick crab and reserve crab meat. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to crab meat. Mix together. Serve the dip on top of crackers or crostini. Sprinkle with paprika.

Ed's Verdict: He thought it was all awesome. I think he prefers picking the crabs himself at the restaurant. It feels more caveman-like. As for the scallops, we hadn't had them in awhile. They have to be cooked just right to taste good, and he agreed that they were ideally prepared. He also loved the taste of the pear and cheese with the scallops. And the sharp taste of the arugula really matched the soft flavor of the scallops.