stuffed Crabs - Evangeline Style

These are adapted from both the Evangeline Restaurant in Pascagoula and from Mama's recipe. 
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 (Makes 8.)
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced fine
2 stalks (ribs) celery, chopped fine
1 -2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup green onion tops, chopped fine
4 slices of white bread, toasted with crusts removed  OR ready-made bread crumbs (about 1/2 cup or so)
1 pound of fresh lump crabmeat (Pick through it for shell bits.)
1 large egg, slightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning or pinch of cayenne pepper and pinch of paprika
1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh chopped fine
Bread crumbs for topping, fresh or dried
8 crab shells, optional - You can shape into patties or also put into shell-shaped baking dishes or cleaned sea shells (see photo)
  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Don't allow the butter to brown!  Add onion and celery; cook until translucent and soft.  Add garlic at the the last minute or so.  Set aside to cool.
  2. Toast bread and remove crusts.  Process in food processor.  Alternatively, you can use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of ready-made bread crumbs.  Add the egg to the bread crumbs and mix a little bit.
  3. Stir all the seasonings, green onion tops, plus sauteed onion, garlic, and celery mixture.
  4. Check crabmeat for any shell pieces and stir into the bread crumb mixture.
  5. Stuff into cleaned crab shells, baking shells, or form into patties on a baking sheet or in a greased casserole dish.  Sprinkle with a few bread crumbs.
  6. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops begin to get golden brown.  Alternatively, if you made patties or cakes - you can fry them in a skillet in a bit of olive oil an butter until golden brown in color.
  7. Serve hot!