This works as a fancy little passed hors d'oeuvre toast or as a more substantial dinner toast. As an hors d'oeuvre, it'll pair especially well with rose but also any sparkling wine or crisp white. If you're eating it for dinner, saute some garlicky bok choy or watercress on the side, plus a little kimchi for bite. If you're tight on cash but still want to impress, this is a great one-you don't need to buy the most expensive crab; the miso makes up for it. That said, it's always best to buy the highest quality you can afford.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 15 to 20 appetizer-size toasts

　　1/2 cup silken tofu

　　3 tablespoons white miso

　　1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or malt vinegar if that's lying around)

　　1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

　　1 teaspoon onion powder

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 8-ounce can jumbo lump crab

　　1/4 cup sour cream

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

　　Olive oil

　　1 loaf miche bread or baguette, cut into 15 to 20 1/2-inch-thick slices

　　

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

　　

Step 2

2. With an immersion blender or a food processor, puree the tofu, miso, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and pepper until smooth.

　　

Step 3

3. Transfer to a small bowl and fold in the crab, sour cream, and chives.

　　

Step 4

4. Pour 1/4 inch of oil into a shallow dish and soak the bread in the oil, coating both sides.

　　

Step 5

5. Evenly heap 2 to 3 tablespoons of the crab mixture onto each slice of bread and lay the slices on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until a little browned. Serve hot.

　　Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.

　　Recipe from Better on Toast, by Jill Donenfeld, Copyright © 2015. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.