Crab Cups

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 loaf sliced bread, crusts removed (1 lb. loaf, 27 slices)
• 1 lb fresh lump crabmeat, bits of shell and cartilage removed
• 2 cups finely diced celery (3 large ribs)
• 2 large hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup firmly packed mayonnaise (can use light)
• 1 tablespoon finely snipped fresh dill (or tarragon)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
• paprika

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 300°.
• 2 using a 1 7/8- to 2-inch round cutter, cut 2 rounds from each slice of bread.
• 3 press the bread rounds gently into ungreased mini muffin pan cups measuring no more than 2 inches across the top.
• 4 the bread will only half-fill the muffin cups, but shape it as best as you can into shallow cups.
• 5 don't worry about ragged edges; the filling will hide them.
• 6 toast the bread cups on the middle oven rack for about 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
• 7 cool to room temperature, then remove from the muffin pans.
• 8 filling--lightly fork together the crabmeat, celery, eggs, onion, mayonnaise, dill, salt, and pepper.
• 9 cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours; fork again just before using.
• 10 to till the toast cups, scoop the crab mixture up by generous teaspoonfuls.
• 11 blush the tops of the crab cups with paprika, if you like; arrange on a colorful platter and serve as an accompaniment to cocktails.