Super Bowl Matchup: Cheesy Sourdough Bread vs. Crab Cakes

Just when you thought I would let the Super Bowl slip by and not provide you with any recipes...I come through and surprise you with not one but two recipes for Sunday!

And do you want to know what's even better?  It's an appetizer matchup, San Francisco vs. Baltimore.  Sound familiar?  Good!  That means you know who is playing in the big game this weekend! 



So it's only natural that I pitted a "San Francisco" food against a "Baltimore" food.  I'm using "San Francisco" and "Baltimore" foods very loosely here.  Because while San Francisco is very well known for their delicious sourdough bread and Baltimore for their crab cakes...these recipes may not exactly be reflective of how either would be served in those cities.  True or not, you get what I'm going for right?  

Now that we've gone over the disclaimer...we can talk about how perfect these would be to serve at your Super Bowl party (or any future party for that matter).  First the bread.  It's obviously cheesy.  Gooey.  Buttery.  Necessitates finger licking.  Just the ultimate finger food.  Oh and did I mention there are mushrooms?  Yep.  There's mushrooms under all of that cheese.

And the crab cakes.  Seriously, who doesn't LOVE crab cakes?  I hesitate to say it, but these might be the best I've ever made.  I made a few changes this time and combined a few different recipes that I've used in the past.  Hello, perfection.  And with a tiny dollop of the spicy remoulade?  My goodness.

I should declare a winner.  But I won't.  I'm putting that one in your hands.  Make both of these.  And let me know which one won your taste buds over.

"San Francisco" Cheesy Pull Apart Sourdough Bread

Adapted from Beantown Baker

Makes: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients:
1 Round Sourdough Loaf
10 ounces mushrooms (I used baby bella)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
salt and pepper
8-10 ounces very thinly sliced provolone cheese
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup green onion, diced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons poppyseed
1 teaspoon garlic, minced

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they start to sweat.  Add thyme and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°.  Slice the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom of the bread.  The second cut gets a bit tricky but just do it carefully and it will be fine.
• Place the loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.  Place cheese in between the cuts and then push the mushrooms down into the bread.
• In a small microwavable bowl heat butter, olive oil, dijon, poppyseed, and garlic until butter is melted.  Add green onions and pour over the bread.
• Wrap the loaf completely in foil and bake for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes remove foil from the top and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

"Baltimore" Mini Crab Cakes

Makes: 16 small crab cakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time:  30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients:
1 lb crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup buttery crackers like Ritz
3 green onions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup green pepper, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1 egg
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil for pan

Directions:

• In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well but don't over mix.
• Shape into approximately 16 small patties. 
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and place 4-5 crab cakes in pan.  Pan fry for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown on both sides.
• Serve warm with your favorite sauce. (I used this one)