CREATED OVER A CENTURY AGO AT A MARYLAND YACHT club to commemorate Commodore George Dewey’s
victory at Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War, Crabmeat Dewey has come down as one of the true wonders of Southern cookery. Served in handsome ramekins as the first course of a stylish meal, the dish is right up there with shrimp remoulade and hobotee. I also like to serve crabmeat Dewey in a large casserole as a main course with no more than cole slaw, pickled peaches, and hot biscuits.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 scallions (white part only), finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup sweet sherry
• 3 tablespoons chopped pimentos
• 11⁄2 cups half-and-half
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 11⁄2 pounds fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage and flaked
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter 6 attractive 2-cup ramekins and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat.
3. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and scallions to the skillet, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Add the sherry to the skillet and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the pimentos and half-and-half to the skillet.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and bring the mixture almost to a boil.
7. Add the crabmeat to the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and stir until well blended.
8. Scrape the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
9. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese equally over the tops of the ramekins.
10. Bake the ramekins until lightly browned, for about 15 to 20 minutes.