♥️Find Your Little Friday♥️
I have stacks of tabbed magazines, newspaper clippings, index cards and open tabs on my Google Chrome of recipes. Recipes have always intrigued me most and they lay scattered throughout my life. I used to have a notorious habit of falling asleep while reading cookbooks, it’s just always been my thing. Recipes for me are like stories. What are you leaving in, leaving out or adding in? Why are you making something, attempting something or changing everything about a recipe to make it digestible for you? I feel a sense of sentiment and connection with recipes, especially when they are passed on. The real work can also come when you have to interpret or translate the missing parts of a recipe so it makes sense to you.
Five years ago I received my first handwritten recipe from mom. I have cooked next to her many times learning recipes thru osmosis or transcribed her tricks over the phone. When I got this specific recipe I didn’t feel compelled to make it at the time. I stumbled across it as I was spring cleaning last week and it just spoke to me. I called her upon its rediscovery and began to ask many questions.
Where did this recipe come from? Did you make it often? When did you feel like making it most? Why did you share it with me?
Are you ready for the responses?
“This recipe is from 80's and came from a friend in the furniture industry. He had it on good authority that this was one of the most popular recipes served at the home of the founders of Crate and Barrel.”.....ok mom, lead with that! “I made it when I felt like impressing people but didn’t have a lot of time. This recipe comes together quickly which is nice. It’s price tag is high though because it comes from luxury.”
She is right, the crab meat alone is a high ticket value! “ I shared it with you because I knew you would appreciate it.”
Again she was right and I did/do appreciate it so very much! You can follow along on her index card but I will share a couple tweaks I added since I have to put my little twist on it! Like her notes read, you must serve this with a butter lettuce salad topped with a tangy mustard and sherry vinaigrette. Also, a little grated gruyere on the greens just to give it even more love. I sliced some yummy bread and spread a pat of butter over the slices like she suggested too! Check out some of my tweaks below
add the zest from the entire lemon as well as the juice
I used fresh tarragon because it is my favorite
I used high quality packaged crab meat since I couldn't find snow crab legs
I used fish sauce instead of Worcestershire, a perfect swap here since one of the lead ingredients in Worcestershire is anchovies
I couldn't imagine using all heavy cream, half and half is the way to go
the index recipe doesn't call for brandy but the recipe steps say to add some in, I used dry vermouth instead which rounded out the flavor nicely
I hope you enjoy this recipe and find yourself inspired to make it on your own. Who knows, you might even find another tweak or improvement yourself? All I ask is that you kindly help a lady out and share any and all insight. Enjoy and I hope this helps you #findyourlittlefriday
