The search for the crab ramekin…..
I was inspired to write this after a very spontaneous weekend away in the Isle of Wight back in August. I trawled the internet looking for a recipe to no avail, it seemed nobody was giving up this very secret recipe!
One night was spent at the Crab and Lobster Inn. Nestled in the cliff tops on the north side of Bembridge, a fantastically popular restaurant with locals and tourists alike. We gorged on mountains of picked crabmeat salad, crab cakes, moules mariniere and the first crab ramekin of the trip. Overindulgence was the word of the evening!
Next day was an ambitious walk (much-needed after previous night’s gorging). Destination was the Seaview Hotel for lunch, on the promise of an even better crab ramekin that the night before. Punchy! Several lost flip flops…..mud….sandy beaches….a red squirrel…… and….. 4 hrs later we reached our lunch spot. I was definitely not disappointed, a very tasty dish and a few well deserved pints, what could be better?
Not sure I have got the recipe quite as good as the Seaview’s but its pretty close and mighty good, give it a go….. it’s quicker than a ferry to Ryde!
Serves 4
Ingredients
100g Cornish white crab meat
100g Cornish fifty fifty crab meat (white and brown meat)
250g cheese sauce, homemade or in a rush a good quality bought one
150g grated mature cheddar
1 tsp English mustard
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and Pepper
Method
Turn the grill on to the highest heat it will go. Warm your cheese sauce over a very low heat until bubbling, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and working quickly stir in the mustard, cayenne and both crab meats. Season well and add lemon juice to taste. Divide the mixture evenly between 4 ramekins and top with the grated cheese. Place under the grill until the cheese is melted, golden and bubbling. Serve straight from the grill with delicious granary toasts.
Warn you guests that they will be super hot and watch your fingers! I had fun making these tonight, they are absolutely delicious and decedent and best served with a large glass of Sauvignon in hand!
A fast and luxurious starter, perfect for a midweek dinner party to wow your friends who will think you have gone to sooooo much trouble and slaved over a hot stove all day!
footprints in the butter 
Can’t wait to give it a go!!!!!xxxxxxxxx
Hi josey, they are toooooo yummy for words! xxxx
I’m drooling! I can understand why you had this a few times on your trip. It’s ramekin week, I’ve just posted baked eggs with creamy,cheesy leeks. Not quite a luxurious but soothing and utterly delcious! I’ve linked to yours in comments
hi thanks so much, i love your blog too, it will be going on my blog roll and i’ll link you back, thanks!!! x k
Thanks so much Katrina, I’m setting my blogroll up and you will be on it xx
Hello, I was pointed in your direction by Sanna Leerkes (a friend from Verbier) and I love your blog!
I’ve just started a new online business called Salcombe Finest. We sell 100% handpicked, fresh Salcombe crab meat. Every single ounce of our crab meat is picked using only teaspoons, crab picks and the occasional bashing from a hammer. This gives an unrivalled texture and flavour compared with machine processed crab. This is crab at its absolute best, and we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to!
If you try this recipe again, we’d love you to give our crab a taste; just order online and pick your delivery date.
Queen Crab x
p.s. We also sell delicious Bigbury Bay Oysters, freshly homemade crab pate and lovely Devon scallops.
Hi Queen Crab,
Many thanks for the message, I must also thank Sanna for put you in touch! I am coming up with new recipes everyday and will look forward to developing lots of new seafood recipes coming up to Christmas, especially canapes for party season! I would love to use your produce! Hopefully we can make something happen…
x Katrina
I love crab meat. That looks & sounds scrummy. I love a cromer dressed crab. Yummy
I too have eaten the ramekin at the Seaview Hotel and tried to copy the recipe, i added some tarragon and drop wine to my mixture as well as some fresh breadcrumbs – lovely
Oo Nicola thanks for the lovely comments, think I’d like to try yours!!
When someone writes an paragraph he/she keeps the plan of a user in his/her brain that how a user can understand it.
So that’s why this piece of writing is perfect. Thanks!
Katrina,
I’m so pleased I came across this post on you blog. I wanted to create something simple but luxurious for Mothering Sunday and always knew of this recipe from when I worked at the Seaview Hotel as I often helped make it on a Sunday night, but years later I had forgotten it.
If I have not forgotten, Tabasco sauce could be your answer to a 100% match.
Thank you and keep blogging!
Thank you – I’ve been wanting to make a Seaview crab ramekin for ages. Without the cayenne pepper it is like the original ones from years and years ago.