Are you ready to cry tears of joy over a sandwich?
Me too. Always.
I’m just inviting myself into your Monday to say “hi” and to remind you that even though summer no longer brings completely carefree days of trampoline competitions and Polly Pocket fashion shows, we know how to live these sunny, flip-flop days to the fullest.
Honestly, friends, I am so over-the-top excited about this recipe. New favorite summer meal right here.
Lobster gets all the attention when it comes to seafood sandwiches, but seeing as I kind of hate dealing with lobsters, and have a really good crab guy at the farmer’s market, I’m giving all my love to crab this summer.
Scoot over lobster rolls. We have crab rolls.
Let’s begin at the beginning. Buy yourself some really good bread. I am obsessed with these tiny brioche buns from Trader Joe’s (yes, I do in fact live there) because they are just a little bit sweet and oh-so buttery.
You are going to want to toast the buns lightly to get the insides soft and the outsides crisp and warm enough to melt the butter we are going to brush them with.
Now, let’s make homemade mayonnaise. It’s an embarrassingly easy, throw-it-all-in-the-food-processor recipe that feels fancy and indulgent. It is also the prettiest shade of spring green and extra creamy thanks to every millennial’s bff - the avocado.
Now that we have toasted buns and semi-pretentious avocado mayonnaise, it is time to address the crab.
Crab is one of those situations where less is definitely more, so keep it simple.
All that is needed here is a heavy spoonful of butter, and a pinch of both sea salt and Old Bay. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and you are golden.
Assembling this sandwich is more tucking than stacking. Mayonnaise first, crab second, and a sprinkling of roasted corn and green onions.
Game. Changer.
Sincerely,
Pedantic Foodie
CRAB ROLLS
makes six
FOR THE AVOCADO MAYONNAISE
1/2 medium ripe avocado
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup vegetable oil
Combine avocado, egg yolk, sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse until smooth.
Run the food processor on high speed and slowly stream the vegetable oil into the food processor. Be sure to add the oil very, very slowly; this should take about 3 minutes.
After all of the oil has been added, pulse the mayonnaise several more times before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use or up to three days.
FOR THE ROASTED CORN
2 ears sweet corn
olive oil
sea salt
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set your oven to the broiler setting.
Drizzle several teaspoons of olive oil over the baking sheet and roll the sweet corn in the oil to coat. Sprinkle the corn with salt and roast for 5-7 minutes, turning the corn halfway through so that all sides cook evenly - until the corn is slightly charred.
Use a very sharp knife to slice the kernels away from each cob. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the crab.
FOR THE CRAB & ASSEMBLY
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for buns
1/2 lb lump or mixed fresh crab meat
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay, plus extra for finishing
1/2 large lemon
6 small brioche buns
green onions, thinly sliced
Place a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt butter in the pan. Once the butter has melted, reduce heat to low and add the crab. Toss the crab and season with salt and Old Bay seasoning. Once the crab has heated through, remove from heat and squeeze half of the lemon over the crab.
Brush the brioche buns with a bit of softened butter and place under your oven’s broiler for 2-3 minutes; until golden brown and slightly toasted.
Insert a paring knife halfway into the center of each bun, and move the knife along the center of the bun, making a small opening.
Smear a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise into the opening of each bun and spoon a generous amount of the prepared crab into the bun. Top with roasted corn and sprinkle with green onions.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!