Monday, July 4, 2011

Barton Seaver inspired crab sandwich

I recently had the pleasure of attending another event planned by Keren Brown, (did I mention to you guys that she has a young son and is pregnant with twins, and still manages to coordinate awesome events? all while wearing high heels?) The event was held at Blueacre Seafood and the guest of honor was Barton Seaver.  Barton was there to tell us about his new book Of Cod and Country




Haven't heard of Barton Seaver? I hadn't either, but his message is something I believe in. Seaver started out as a chef, graduating from The Culinary Institute of America. After working in kitchens, he changed his focus to sustainable fish. He is a National Geographic fellow who helped create their Seafood Decision Guide, which helps consumers make seafood choices based on environmental and health factors.
I loved how he talked about his childhood and how his family enjoyed meals together.  He said that even though his family may not have had a lot of wealth, his parents put a lot of care into all their meals.  They would make homemade tortillas and he remembers that to this day.  He mentioned how special family dinners are and how lucky we are to be able to sit down and share a meal with each other.  
His travels have shown him how important it is to realize what we really need as far as food consumption, not necessarily what we want.  He stressed highlighting a meal with a great vegetable and interesting spices. All the while using fish that has not been overfished or caught using questionable methods.  He encourages you to eat fish from the best fisheries and eat lots of those tasty vegetables.
I had a great time at the event! The food at Blueacre was delicious, the company was great, and I learned a lot.  I encourage you to read more about Barton Seaver, or even pick up his book.  The information, the recipes, the tips, the photos...it's something that I think would even be great sitting on your coffee table, it will definitely encourage some great conversations.


In the book, Barton has a recipe for a spice mayo Mackerel roll.  I have been wanting to make something similar using crab.  I used his recipe as inspiration for my own crab roll sandwich.


Crab roll sandwich


1 pound Dungeness crab meat (you can find this inexpensively at Costco)
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayo
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
juice from one small lemon
1 ear fresh corn
1 tomato chopped (I used about half of a very large heirloom tomato we had leftover)
salt and pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
hot dog bun, or outdoor roll


Combine mayo (I used about 1/4 cup, but you may prefer more), lemon juice, Dijon, and Old Bay in a bowl and combine.  
Cut corn from the ear and add to bowl.  Add remaining ingredients.   Salt and pepper to taste. 
For my sandwiches I loaded up a nice baguette.  When I make this sandwich again I would use the hot dog or outdoor bun.  Brush with butter and toast under the broiler or on your grill until nice and brown.  Top with crab salad and enjoy.


Serves 4.





I think this made a great summer meal! We served it with grilled corn on the cob and potato chips!  It's quick and on the table in no time.  You really don't even have to turn on your oven. With a nice glass of white wine, it was the perfect end to our 4th of July weekend!
I hope you will all read more about Barton Seaver and check out his book. The recipes all look fantastic and he was a very informative speaker.  I am looking forward to making many of his dishes this summer, and the seasons to come!

4 comments:

  1. For Cod and Country...hilarious title! And great looking sandwich!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This crab roll looks quite delicious, nice pics. The book sounds pretty interesting also. thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mm Alex this looks great! Crab sandwiches are my favorite and I love the addition of corn in yours, perfect!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yum, that sounds delicious! I love the flavors you used.

    ReplyDelete