Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Crabmeat Imperial

If you love crabmeat, you’ll love this dish. If you don’t love crabmeat, this dish will win you over. Perfect when paired with champagne. Serve with toasted French bread croutons or a buttery cracker.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter

1 /4 cup small dice yellow onions

1 /4 cup minced shallots

1 /2 cup small dice red peppers

1 /4 cup small dice green peppers

1 /4 cup small dice celery

1 /4 teaspoon salt

1 /8 teaspoon cayenne

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 /2  cup chopped green onions

1 1 /2  cup homemade or Blue Plate Mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Creole Mustard

1 tbsp sherry vinegar1 /4 teaspoon hot sauce

2 pound lump crab meat

1 /4 cup dried Japanese bread crumbs

3 Tbsp sour cream

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp creole seasoning

2 Tbsp chopped chives, garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil. When the pan is hot, add onions, shallots, peppers, celery, salt and cayenne. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Add garlic, parsley and green onions, sauté for one or two minutes. Remove from the heat and cool 30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine one cup of the Blue Plate Mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and hot sauce. Add cooled vegetables and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Gently fold in the crabmeat. Spoon the mixture into an 8”x 8”baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, the remaining 1 /2 cup of Blue Plate Mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice and the Creole seasoning together. Spread the breadcrumb mixture on top of the crab mixture.

Bake 20 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Garnish with chopped chives.

Yield: 8-12

Recent Recipes

Harrison’s Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Having a son who’s following in your footsteps is one thing. Watching him take what you’ve taught him and elevate it to something even better—that’s special. During his Christmas break from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, a few years ago, he nudged me out of the way and made these mashed potatoes. I was skeptical, of course as I’ve been making mashed potatoes for decades. But there was no question his version was better. There’s a lot of pride in seeing him excel in the kitchen, making something as simple as mashed potatoes taste extraordinary. This recipe has become a new tradition in our family. Watching him cook now, with all that skill and precision, is a proud moment for me every time. This is his recipe, and I’ve adopted it as my own.

Read more

Macaroni and Cheese

Growing up, elaborate mac & cheese wasn’t something that made its way to our dinner table. That’s not some sort of elitist statement. We grew up in a very modest way. It’s just that macaroni and cheese was something my mom never purchased at the store and therefore never served. This recipe is rich and indulgent with a blend of cheeses that create a creamy, savory masterpiece. Adding crispy fried shallots or crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb topping gives it a savory, satisfying crunch. The blend of cheeses—Velveeta for creaminess, Gruyere for nuttiness, Cheddar for sharpness, and Colby Jack for that buttery melt—makes all the difference.

Read more

Robert’s Christmas Turkey 2025

There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table. My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.

Read more