Sand crab on mushroom cap canapés

The idea here is to use mushroom caps, as a healthier alternative to crackers.

Handy Hack 1: As an alternative to the uncooked mushroom caps, you could also use 5cm lengths of celery; halved and deseeded chillies/capsicum; or small deseeded tomato halves. You may also opt for some crackers like Ritz or Jatz.

Handy Hack 2: You may need to peel the mushroom caps if the mushrooms are a little mature or ‘tired’ (old). If the mushrooms caps are very fresh, you will be able to leave the peel on them. I like to use Swiss Brown mushrooms in this recipe.

Handy Hack 3: I “garnished” the plate of crab meat stuffed mushrooms with some Asian mushrooms that were lightly sautéed in garlic oil.

Handy Hack 4: You could use light cream cheese in the following recipe. It also helps to leave the cream cheese out of the fridge for an hour before using to soften slightly.

Ingredients

The meat from 1 to 2 sand crabs

Small mushroom caps, stalk removed

A small handful of Asian mushrooms (such as the oyster variety)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

A handful of chives

200g cream cheese

Garlic oyster mushroom garnish

Step 1: In a bowl, mix the olive oil and garlic until thoroughly combined. Place the Asian mushrooms into the garlic oil mixture in the bowl and tumble to thoroughly coat the mushrooms with the oil mixture. Heat a small frypan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the coated Asian mushrooms and stir fry until light brown. Remove from the pan and place to one side on a plate.

Sand Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Step 2: Snip the chives into small pieces and mix into the cream cheese. Keep mixing until the chives and cream cheese are well combined.

Step 3: Now add the crab meat to the cream cheese mixture.

Step 4: Fold together gently to avoid breaking up the crab meat too much. You still want chunks of crab meat in the mixture.

Step 5: Using a small spoon, carefully put the crab meat/cream cheese mixture into the prepared mushroom caps. Pack the crab mixture into the crevices of the mushrooms as you go. To finish stuffing the mushroom caps, slightly mound the crab mixture in the caps.

Step 6: The completed crab meat stuffed mushroom caps, ready for your enjoyment.