This recipe can be used with Halibut, flounder, or any large flat fish filet. Rockfish/Striped Bass, walleyes, and cod are also good choices. Use fish that flake well and are big and thick enough to be portion sized and get covered with the crab meat. OLD BAY seasoning is a must.

2 pounds of fish filets       Parmesan cheese

1 pound of crab meat       Butter

Lemon juice                        Paprika/ Old Bay

1 tsp Dry Mustard               Salt and Pepper

Mayonnaise                         Chopped onion

Old Bay seasoning

2 egg whites

1 egg/ combined with the yolks from the egg whites. (this goes into the Crab mixture)

FISH    Use the skinless filets in serving portions. If the halibut is too thick, filet the thick filet in half and leave a section as the hinge. Now fold it over. A ½ -1-inch filet works best. Wash and dry the filets. Place the filets into a greased, or foil lined, baking dish. Squeeze lemon juice onto the filets. You can build this recipe as 2 layers of fish with a crab stuffing center or a single layer with the crab stuffing on top. Halibut is often thick so using it as a single layer works well. Season with Old Bay. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. (smaller or thinner portions bake less).

STUFFING   Mix the crab meat into a bowl. Add an egg, 2 slices of crust free bread tor into small chunks, ½ tsp of Old Bay seasoning, ½ tsp of Dry Mustard, 1/8 tsp of fresh black pepper, 2 tsp of lemon juice, 2 tsp of parsley, ½ cup of mayonnaise, 2 tbsp of softened butter. Mix delicately, so you don’t break up the crab meat lumps. You are basically making a crab cake recipe.

TOP COATING   mix ½ cup of Mayonnaise, fine chopped onion, salt and pepper, and 2 egg whites. Whip/beat until foamy.

Once the filets have baked for 10-15 minutes, (less for fewer or thinner filets), add the crab mixture on top. Spoon the TOP COATING over the filets and crab. Sprinkle Paprika or Old Bay on top. Bake for another5-8 minutes, until the TOP COATING is golden brown.

You can also do the fish under the broiler, then add the crab and TOP COATING. Test the meat with a fork. It should flake easily. Dress with fresh parsley and some Parmesan cheese. Serve with hush puppies, fried green tomatoes, or your favorite fish side dish, and enjoy!

You can also personalize this dish. Add some fine chopped peppers, spinach, or shrimp. You can also roll or bundle the filets. The fish and crab flavors are delicate so don’t over spice. With fresh crab and fish, less is more.

Enjoy!

Montana Grant