It's Dungeness Crab Season

Some of the things I miss most about living in the Bay Area are Dungeness Crab season, “Karl” the Fog and the salty air. Recreational crab season in the Bay Area starts in early November and can stretch all the way until July. The name “Dungeness” comes from one of the most fertile habitats of the crab species, the Dungeness Spit, a sandy stretch of land in Northwest Washington. The Spit and surrounding community is located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and named after a desert-like beach of the same name in England.

One of my favorite restaurants to indulge in the sweet delicate meat of the Dungeness crab is The Franciscan. The Franciscan is located on Fisherman’s Wharf, right on the Bay with views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the loud barking sea lions.

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goldengate

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The Franciscan is known for their sizzling crab dish and fresh seafood. I can hear the sizzle of the cast-iron and smell the aroma of the garlic and butter sauce. Yum! One of my favorite appetizers on the menu is the Crab Fondue. I wanted to recreate this dish as a dip, so here’s my take on the this dish.

Dungeness Crab Dip

8oz Neufchatel Cheese

¼ cup Sour Cream

¼ tsp Franks Red Hot

¼ Old Bay seasoning

1 garlic clove, minced

12oz fresh Dungeness Crab meat

2 scallions, sliced

2 tbs chopped parsley

2 tsp lemon juice

Mixed Crackers or Kettle Chips for serving

crabdipmise

1. In a sauce pan, mix the Neufchatel cheese, sour cream, red hot sauce, old bay and garlic. Melt the mixture on medium heat stirring until well combined.

crabdipmix

2. Once the mixture is incorporated, remove from heat and fold in the crab, scallions, parsley and lemon juice. Stir until the crab is warm. Season with salt and pepper.

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