Recipe: Baked Crab, Brie, and Artichoke Dip [edit]

Step 1

Accompaniment: toasted thin baquette slices

Step 2

Preheat oven to 425 F. and lightly oil an 11-inch gratin or other shallow baking dish (about 6-cup).

Step 3

Trim and finely chop leek. In a large bowl of water wash leek well and lift from water into large sieve to drain. Finely chop onion. Rinse and finely chop artichoke hearts. Squeeze dry and finely chop spinach. Discard rind from Brie and cut into 1/4-inch pieces.

Step 4

In a heavy skillet cook leek, onion, and garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring until pale golden and stir in artichoke hearts and spinach. Add wine and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Add Brie, stirring until it just begins to melt. Remove skillet from heat and stir herbs into mixture.

Step 5

Pick over crab meat. In a large bowl stir together crab meat, mustard, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste and stir in cheese mixture. Spread mixture evenly in baking dish and bake in middle of oven 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Step 6

Serve dip hot with toasts.

Step 7

Serves 6-8 as an hors d'oeurve or a first course.