How to Cook Imitation Crab Meat

Crab meat is a delicious delicacy, but shellfish allergies or the high cost of crab can prevent some people from enjoying these tasty morsels. But there's a satisfactory alternative to real crab: Surimi, or imitation crab meat. Surimi is made from Alaskan Pollock, sometimes called Snow Cod, and it is processed with sugar, starch, egg whites and soybean oil, along with natural and artificial flavorings to imitate the taste and consistency of real crab.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• For the crab meat salad:
• 1 lb. imitation crab meat
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. seafood seasoning
• 1 tsp. sweet pickle relish
• 2 cups cold macaroni and cheese
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• For mock crab cakes:
• 2 lbs. imitation crab
• 4 tbs. mayonnaise
• 2 egg whites
• 30 cracker squares
• Non-stick cooking spray
• For Hot Imitation Crab meat Dip
• 1 lb. Processed American cheese
• 1 ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 lb. imitation crab meat

Imitation Crabmeat Salad

1. Prepare macaroni and cheese, either from a boxed mix or from scratch. Place in refrigerator to chill.

2. Dice an onion, bell pepper and stalk of celery. Add a crushed clove of garlic to the mixture. Blend in the parsley and the seafood seasoning.

3. Dice the imitation crab meat and add to the mixture you made in Step 2. Add two cups of the chilled macaroni and cheese.

4. Stir pickle relish, mustard and mayonnaise together and then mix with the macaroni mixture until all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Serve on crackers or use as a stuffing for tomatoes.

Mock Crab Cakes

5. Dice imitation crab into small pieces. Crush the crackers and place in a bowl with the crab.

6. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form in a separate bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mix until thoroughly blended. Mix the contents of both bowls together until all ingredients are well blended.

7. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Mold the crab mixture by hand into half-cup patties and bake at 375 degree F for 15 minutes. Turn the patties over and bake for 15 additional minutes or until golden brown.

Hot Imitation Crabmeat Dip

8. Melt the processed American cheese in a microwave oven on high for 90 seconds or until it just reaches the melting stage. Be careful not to overheat the cheese because it will become stringy and tough.

9. Chop up the green, leafy portion of the scallions and add them to the cheese. Mix in 1½ cups of mayonnaise.

10. Dice the crab meat into small pieces and combine with the cheese mixture. Warm the mixture in the microwave on high for two minutes, or until it is heated throughout. Pour into a heated chafing dish and serve with chips or crackers.

References

• About Surimi
• Surimi and Surimi Seafood, Second Edition (Food Science and Technology; Jaw W. Park; 2005

Resources

• Seafood seasoning recipe

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