Crabby Tots Recipe

Name: Purple Parrot Grill Beach Haus & Biergartens Crabby Tots Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb frozen tater tots; 2 tbs vegetable oil (for oven or shallow frying); 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 10 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 3 tbS mayonnaise; 2 tbS sour cream; 1 tbS fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 0.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (plus extra for finishing); 2 tbS minced shallot or green onion; 1 tbS minced fresh parsley; 0.25 cup grated sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack (for mixing); 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp optional hot sauce; 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for melting); 2 each lemon wedges; 2 tbS chopped fresh chives or parsley (garnish)

Inspired by Purple Parrot Grill Beach Haus & Biergarten

Time40m

Serves4

crispy tater tots topped with lump crab dip, melted jack cheese, and old bay

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Ingredients

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Tater Tots

1 lb frozen tater tots

2 tbs vegetable oil (for oven or shallow frying)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Lump Crab Dip

10 oz lump crab meat, picked over for shells

4 oz cream cheese, softened

3 tbS Mayonnaise

2 tbS Sour cream

1 tbS fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Original Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (plus extra for finishing)

2 tbS minced shallot or green onion

1 tbS minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack (for mixing)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp optional hot sauce

Assembly & Finish

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for melting)

2 each lemon wedges

2 tbS chopped fresh chives or parsley (garnish)

Method

Tater Tots

Bake or fry tots

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the frozen tater tots with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper so they are lightly coated. Spread them in a single layer. Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and crispy. Alternatively, shallow-fry in 1/4 inch oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until crispy; drain on paper towels.

Lump Crab Dip

Prepare dip

While the tots bake, combine 4 oz softened cream cheese, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Old Bay, 2 tbsp minced shallot/green onion, 1 tbsp minced parsley, 1/4 cup grated cheddar/Monterey Jack, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp hot sauce (if using) in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and homogenous.

Fold in crab

Gently fold in the 10 oz lump crab meat, taking care to keep lumps intact. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more Old Bay or lemon if needed. Keep chilled until ready to assemble; the dip can be made up to 6 hours ahead.

Assembly & Finish

Top tots with crab

When tots are hot and crispy, remove baking sheet from oven (keep oven set to 425°F / 220°C). Arrange tots in a single layer on the sheet or an oven-safe platter. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the crab dip over each tot (you should have enough to top roughly 12–16 tots depending on size).

Add cheese and melt

Evenly sprinkle 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack over the topped tots. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake 3–5 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crab is warmed through. For a bit of browning, switch to broil on high for 30–60 seconds—watch carefully to prevent burning.

Finish and serve

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with a light dusting of additional Old Bay (about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp), chopped chives or parsley, and a squeeze of fresh lemon over the platter. Serve hot with lemon wedges alongside. Leftovers: store crab-topped tots in an airtight container in fridge up to 1 day; reheat in a 400°F oven until warmed and crisp.