Tom Douglas's King Crab Frittata Cake
This frittata cake is very decadent for brunch and also pairs nicely with white wine at a dinner party.
King Crab Frittata Cake
Ingredients:
1 pound cooked King crab legs in the shell, thawed
8 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup grated Italian fontina cheese
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus about 4 to 5 teaspoons more for the crab garnish
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms
1 cup chopped broccoli rabe, leaves, florets, and tender stems
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fennel fronds (from the fennel bulb)
1/4 lemon
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. To prepare the crab, pick the crab meat from the shells. An easy way to do this is to use a kitchen scissors or shears to cut the shell open on both sides of a leg, then pull the meat out. When you’ve picked all the meat, squeeze the crab gently to extract excess liquid, then cut the crab into 1/2-inch chunks. Divide the crabmeat in half, placing it in two small bowls, and set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in half of the reserved crabmeat and the cheese, then set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, broccoli rabe, onion, fennel, and bell pepper. Saute the vegetables, stirring as needed, until they are browned and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the vegetables to taste with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sauté a minute more. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the top. Allow the frittata to cook a minute or two while stirring the mixture a few times with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. Then place the pan in the oven and bake until slightly puffed and browned, and cooked through, about 12 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven. Run a spatula around the edges of the frittata and underneath, to loosen it from the pan, then turn it out onto a large plate. Cut the frittata into wedges. Toss the remaining crabmeat with the fennel fronds, about 4 to 5 teaspoons of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the frittata to plates and top each wedge with some of the crabmeat. Serve immediately.
Recipe from I Love Crab Cakes (Morrow, 2006)
Photo by Robin Layton
Tom Douglas is currently working with Amazon.com on the exclusive line of kitchen and dining products, Tom Douglas by Pinzon, aimed at building confidence in the kitchen.
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