Recipes: Spicy Crab Cocktail Spread and Chicken Satay

Aramark Olympic Recipes

Aramark Executive Chef Louis Ferretti

Presenting Aramark's guide to your own summer celebrations. Aramark is one of the leading caterers to sports events (like last year's Olympics), conventions and other celebrations. From pre-planning to execution, these world class recipes are sure to foster a culinary "gold-medal" for the party hosts. So, grab a fork and let the celebrations begin!

Spicy Crab Cocktail Spread

8 ounces fresh lump or backfin crab meat
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove all shells from crab meat. Beat the cream cheese in a mixer bowl until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in the milk, crab meat, onion, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce. Spread the mixture in a 9-inch round baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with the almonds and paprika. Serve with fresh vegetables and assorted party crackers.

Serves twenty-four.

For a variety in dippers, use mini carrots, mini zucchini and pattypan squash.

Chicken Satay
with Hot and Sour Dipping Sauce

Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cashews
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Dipping Sauce

1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot

For the chicken, soak twenty-four 6-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes or longer. Rinse the chicken and pat dry; cut into 1/2 x 1-inch strips.

Process the soy sauce, cashews, cilantro, sesame seed oil, salt, chili powder and cumin in a blender until the consistency of a paste. Rub the chicken with the paste to coat; place in a shallow dish. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 2 hours or longer.

Thread the chicken on the skewers. Place on a baking sheet. Broil for 4 minutes per side or until the juices run clear. Chill in the refrigerator.

For the sauce, bring the sugar, white vinegar, water and red pepper flakes to a boil in a saucepan. Boil until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the carrot.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Makes twenty-four appetizers.

Provided by Aramark from: Entertaining with The Home-Field Advantage
Designed and Produced by Favorite Recipes Press
Food Photography by Mike Rutherford
Aramark Corporation
Released 1996
Reprinted with permission.

This page originally published as a FoodDay article in 1997.