Deviled Crab

OMG! Lymor just made this, and it's so good. I bet lots of things could be substituted for the crab. It's right out of the latest Gourmet. It's spicy, buttery, and garlicky-- though apparently there's no garlic-- and just feels right.

described in the mag as a "sumptuous starter to a fancy meal"

here we go:

ingredients:

-1/3 cup finely chopped onion

-3/4 stick unsalted butter

-3 (1/2 inch thick) slices good-quality white sandwich bread such as pullman loaf, crusts discarded

-1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over

-1 large egg, lightly beaten

-1/2 tsp. cayenne

-6 scallop shells or small ramekins

-Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle

-cook onion in butter in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

-tear bread into very small pieces, then spread in 1 layer in a shallow dish or pie plate. Pour onion and butter mixture over torn bread and let stand 15 minutes.

-add crab, egg, cayenne, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper, and gently toss

-divide mixture among shells and bake until crab is just starting to brown, 20 to 30 minutes. 

Serve immediately