When we travel, I like to bring home as much local goodness as possible. Recent trips to the Gulf yielded a bounty of good, wild caught shrimp, and a trip to the Eastern Shore of Maryland gave us some lump blue crab meat. I’ve eaten crab from Texas to Nova Scotia and the Eastern Shore is the best. Sorry to my Gulf Coast crew, it just is.

To keep that Maryland crab flavor prominent, I use JO Seasoning #2 in this one. The family owned spice house on the Eastern Shore is a Maryland tradition, and they know seafood seasoning.

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You can’t beat crab meat from the Eastern Shore. Images by author

This casserole is quick and easy to put together and it works perfectly as a light meal or as an appetizer when served with toasted slices of baguette or good crackers. I add orzo pasta to make the seafood stretch and the dish more filling if used as a main course.

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This casserole works as a main course or as an appetizer when served with toast or crackers.

If you plan to serve this one as an appetizer, slice up a fresh baguette.

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The fresher the better on bread. Slice a baguette from a local bakery if possible.

I like to drizzle the bread with a good olive oil then lightly toast it.

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Drizzle with a high quality olive oil.

Start by browning the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux is a light peanut butter color. Add the onions and garlic, and continue to stir until they start to soften.

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Make a roux, then add the onion and garlic.

Pour in the milk and wine.

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Add the milk, then the wine to the roux.

Bring the mixture to a light boil and simmer until it thickens. Add the roasted peppers, shredded cheese (shred your own from a block for better texture and flavor over pre-shredded).

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Add the cheese, seafood and seasonings, then stir well to blend.

Add the shrimp, crab, and cooked pasta, along with the seasonings. Stir until well blended.

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Pour the mixture out into a lightly oiled or buttered 13x9 inch baking dish. Blend the topping ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over the top. Spread on additional JO #2 to taste.

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Add the topping and bake until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crispy.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. If you want the top more crispy and golden brown, turn on the broiler for the last minute or two. Keep a close eye on the casserole though, you don’t want the topping to burn.

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