We snagged a beach house for the weekend with an amazing ocean view to show off the Pacific Northwest to family visiting from out of town. It was near the small coastal town of Cannon Beach in Oregon, a community studded with art galleries, coffeeshops, a brew pub and a great fish market.
It just so happens that the market owns their own crabbing boats – my favorite shellfish – which meant we could stock up on freshly caught Dungeness crab at a good price. After a stop at the local wine shop for some local pinot gris, we headed back to the house and stuffed ourselves with these jewels from the ocean.
Around sunset, we had all reached the limit on our waistlines, but a huge pile of crab still remained. What to do with the leftovers? I pondered this question the next day as we drove home, unpacked the car and settled back in.
That evening, Jay came in the backdoor with a huge bowl of eggs from the ducks, answering my question. It would be made into a duck egg and crab frittata.
Crab & Duck Egg Frittata
- olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 6 eggs (chicken or duck)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 c. roasted red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 lb. lump crab meat
- 1/4 tsp. old bay seasoning
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, warm 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and simmer until softened, about five minutes.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with garlic, red bell pepper, lump crab meat, old bay seasoning and salt/pepper to taste (go light as the old bay will have salt as well). Add sauteed onions and mix to combine.
Warm 2 T. more olive oil in the skillet. Then add the egg mixture and let it cook over medium-low heat. Gently run your spatula around the edges as the eggs start to set, letting the uncooked egg get underneath.- After the mixture begins to set (about 5 minutes), move the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Once set, enjoy warm or cold!
The best thing about this frittata is that it showcases the crab meat and is very filling. The seafood flavor is not masked by complicated ingredients. In fact, the eggs really act as a binder – just holding the tender crab meat together.
Serve it for dinner with a huge arugula salad tossed with chunks of avocado, candied pecans and sprinkled with lemon juice. The thickness of the arugula leaves and creaminess of the avocado pairs perfectly with the crab meat.
When it’s the main course, I would say it feeds four. If you serve it as a side or with other hearty dishes, then plan to serve 6-8 people. It’s great the next day cold for breakfast or on bread as a sandwich at lunch.
