Crab Custard Casserole

PaulaG's Note:

A delightful casserole for Sunday brunch. This recipe was printed in Southern Living Low-Fat Recipes, January 1997 and comes from Amber House Inn, Scramento, California.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 tablespoons reduced fat margarine , melted
• 1 ½ cups egg substitute
• ½ cup skim milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• 6 egg whites
• 2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat , drained
• 1 (8 ounce) package low-fat cream cheese , cut into small cubes
• paprika

Directions:

1. Spray the bottom of an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Spread melted margarine in the bottom of pan and set aside.
3. Combine egg substitute and next 4 ingredients.
4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into egg mixture.
5. Stir in crabmeat and cream cheese cubes.
6. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
7. Cover and chill overnight.
8. Next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees; uncover casserole and sprinkle with paprika.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set.
10. The preparation time does not include the refrigeration time.

Reviews

[JustJanS]

We had this for dinner tonight with a side salad. It was a good, well written recipe that resulted in a rich, but subtle dish. I think it could be improved with a little Tabasco, Worchestershire and a green onion. I didn't enjoy coming across tiny wet spots of cream cheese and would sub light cream for that in the future. I used real egg yolks.

[twissis]

This dish is just amazing, definitely company-worthy & something any cook would be proud to serve. I made a half recipe for 2 of us in gratin dishes & added only Old Bay Seasoning as I favor using it in crab recipes. I got 4 sml servings & we had no trouble at all eating 2 servings ea for a dinner meal. Like Bev, I see this dish as more ideal for a brunch as you suggested or even as a lovely dinner party starter or luncheon entree. I used all full-fat ingredients, so it had a rich & mellow taste w/a souffle texture. Freshly snipped chives would make a good add to provide a color variant & for their flavor. Thx for sharing this sure to be repeated recipe w/us. :-)

[Bev]

WOW! This is really excellent! I served this for supper, but would best be served as a brunch dish, as recommended by Paula. I used real eggs, 2% milk and real cream cheese, which made for a very rich crab custard casserole. Serve in small portions and be prepared to receive lots of compliments ; ) Thanks, Paula!