faux seafood essentials: crab rangoon dip

How To Make faux seafood essentials: crab rangoon dip

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  Step 1
  PREP/PREPARE
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  Step 2
  Recipe Notes:
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  Step 3
  Cheeses I used three different types of cheese to make this dip. The cream cheese and the Colby give it a creamy, flavorful taste, and the pepper jack gives it a bit of a kick. But the one thing that they do not do is overpower the dish. You might be tempted to use stronger cheeses like a sharp cheddar, but I would recommend against this choice. This recipe is all about balance… A balance between all the ingredients. If you use strong cheeses that is all you will taste. With that said, I am a strong believer in experimenting, so go for it. Mayonnaise Dukes is my hands down favorite, it is in a class of its own; however, for this recipe I recommend a more banal brand, such as Hellman’s or Kraft. As with the cheeses, I want a mayo that plays well with the other ingredients. In this recipe, we do not want any bullies. In addition, I mention using a vegan substitute. My favorite brand is Vegenaise. It may be vegan, but most people cannot tell the difference. Tamari or Liquid Aminos I once heard that soy sauce to Asians is what ketchup is to Americans. Doubt that is true; however, in most Asian restaurants, you will usually see a bottle of the stuff sitting on your table. Soy sauce is made with fermented soybeans and other ingredients. It is salty, savory, and carries a distinctive umami flavor. (Umami is considered the 5th basic taste, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, and has a savory, meaty, flavor that enhances the overall taste of your recipe). With that said, in a crowded room, it shouts for your attention. I want something that brings me many of the same flavor notes, but speaks softly. I think it was Teddy Rosevelt that said, speak softly but carry a big flavor punch, or something like that. That is where Tamari, or Liquid Aminos come into play. Less heavy, tastes great, and is gluten-free. If you are using soy sauce then reduce the amount by about half.
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  Step 4
  More Recipe Notes... Seafood, or Cajun Spice This is an important part of the recipe. If you use a seafood spice, your dip will elicit memories of the East coast; if you use a Cajun spice, you will bring out memories of the South, and New Orleans (The Big Easy). My two choices are: Seafood: Old Bay Cajun: Tony Chachere’s If you want to try homemade, here you go: Seafood: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/seasoning-mix/spice-essentials-savory-seafood-seasoning.html Cajun: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/seasoning-mix/diy-essentials-peppery-cajun-seasoning.html Coconut Sugar Whenever possible, I like to use coconut sugar. It is derived from the sweet nectar (sap) of the coconut palm tree flower blossoms. Coconut sugar may contain trace amounts of vitamins and minerals compared to zero for processed sugars, and when ingested, is absorbed in a moderate way, and does not create that “sugar high” sometimes experienced with white sugar, or other processed varieties. If you do not have any, just use some regular brown sugar, and you will be fine. Faux Crab There are lots of versions of faux crab out there, Great Catch, TransOcean, Great American Seafood, Kroger, and more. I have found that most of them are about the same in quality, so the choice is yours. For this recipe I am using TransOcean. It usually comes in sticks of thinly rolled fish, usually made from Alaskan Pollick, and a few additional spices. Slice it thin, but not too thin. You want a bit of mouthfeel, and not just smooth… a little bit of crab chunks are a good thing.
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  Step 5
  Gather your Ingredients (mise en place).
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  Step 6
  Place a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 380f/195c.
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  Step 7
  Combine all the ingredients, except the faux crab into a bowl.
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  Step 8
  Mix until everything is fully blended together.
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  Step 9
  Add the crab and mix to combine.
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  Step 10
  Transfer to a baking dish, and place into the preheated oven.
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  Step 11
  Bake until top is golden brown and bubbling around edges, about 25 to 27 minutes.
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  Step 12
  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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  Step 13
  You can drizzle with sweet chili sauce or dust with mild paprika.
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  Step 14
  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Step 15
  I like to remove it from the baking dish and place servings on single dishes along with some chips; however, you can leave it in the baking dish and let your guests scoop out their own. Enjoy.
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  Step 16
  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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  Step 17
  Namaste’
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