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Epicurious

Crab Toast with Lemon Aioli

4.3

(3)

Crab toast with lemon aioli and a lemon wedge on a white plate.

This dish is only as good as the crab it's made with; buy the freshest you can find.

Do ahead:

Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Crabmeat mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Note: Raw egg is not recommended for infants, the elderly, pregnant women, or people with weakened immune systems.

Ingredients

Lemon Aioli:

1 large egg yolk
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
1 cup vegetable oil

Crab Toast:

8 oz lump crabmeat, picked over
2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds
1 to 2 serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
4 3/4"-thick slices country-style sourdough bread
lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation

  1. Lemon Aioli:

    Step 1

    Whisk egg yolk, garlic, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil, drop by drop at first, until aioli is thickened and smooth; season with salt and more lemon juice, if desired.

  2. Crab Toast:

    Step 2

    Toss crabmeat, fennel fronds, 1 chile, and 2 tbsp oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt; add more chile, if desired.

    Step 3

    Drizzle both sides of bread with remaining 4 tbsp oil; working in batches, toast in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

    Step 4

    Spread each piece of toast with 1 tbsp aioli. Top with crabmeat; cut each toast into 4 pieces. Place a small dab of aioli in center of each piece; serve with lemon wedges. (Extra aioli can be used for dressings or dips.)

TagsToastSandwichCrabShellfishSeafoodLemonCitrusFruitFennelRoot VegetableVegetableSerrano ChileChileGarlicStarterDinnerDairy FreeBon Appétit

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