Adam Gibson of Marion Station, MD won first place of the appetizer division and grand prize in the National Hard Crab Derby Cooking Contest held in Crisfield, MD. Twenty-five contestants in four categories competed to win the coveted title in the annual contest.

His dish, Maryland Crab Imperial Nachos featured three ways of using crab in an appetizer. Crab imperial, crab salsa, and crab pico de gallo was served with warm nachos drizzled with melted pepper jack cheese.

First place in the main dish category was Madeline Hall of Salisbury, MD for her Basil Pesto Crab on Pita Bread. Best crab cake went o Charlese Ann Smith of Bishopville, MD for her dish, Best Back Fin Crab Cakes with Corn Salsa. Kim Todd of Crisfield, MD took home first place honors in the soup division with her Kim's Crab and Corn Chowder.

The 45th Annual National Hard Crab Derby & Fair's Cooking Contest is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Seafood & Aquaculture Program. Below is the grand prize winning recipe for you to enjoy.                                                      

Maryland Crab Imperial Nachos
Adam Gibson
Marion Station, MD

1 pound Maryland crab meat
½ cup crab Imperial (recipe follows)
½ cup crab salsa (recipe follows)
½ cup crab pico de gallo (recipe follows)
1 cup heavy cream
½ stick butter
¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
green onions for garnish
warmed nachos
1 block pepper jack cheese
Old Bay to taste

Combine flour and butter to make a roux. Slowly add cream. Add pepper jack cheese until thick and creamy. Assemble crab imperial, salsa and pico de gallo on platter. Arrange warmed nachos around dips. Drizzle cheese sauce over and around nachos. Garnish with cilantro, lime slices, green onion, remaining crab meat and Old Bay.

Cilantro-Crab Pico De Gallo

½ jar Goya Recanito sauce
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed)
juice from ½ lime
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup Maryland crab meat

Combine all ingredients except crab meat. Refrigerate overnight. Slowly fold in crab meat.

Crab Imperial

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
juice from ½ lemon
½ cup Maryland crab meat
Old Bay to taste

Combine all ingredients except crab meat. Slowly fold in crab meat. Place in shallow baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Crab Salsa

1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes
¼ cup white onion
1 chipolte pepper (seeds removed)
juice from ½ lime
¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash hot sauce
½ cup Maryland crab meat

Combine all ingredients except crab meat in food processor. Refrigerate overnight. Slowly fold in crab meat.