Crab Ball

This crab ball is really festive in a dark green dish with lemon wedges!!

This is a really pretty crab and cheese ball at the Holidays because it is covered with a red seafood sauce and when you put it in a green dish it is really festive. The origin of this is unclear to me. I have always made it and no body in my family ever did before me and it has never been written down that I know of except by me for someone who liked it. It must have been told to me long ago or something I had tasted and made my version of in my youth.

Anyway it is easy and good and usually goes quickly although it keeps well and can look good the second day by just adding additional sauce where the original tasters dug into it!!

I stick the crab ball in the freezer to firm it up while I do the sauce.

Crab ball ingredients:
2, 8 oz. pkg. Philly Cream Cheese
1 can of crab drained and picked through to remove any cartilage
dash of hot sauce
1 t. lemon jest
juice of 1/2 lemon

Lay out 2 sections, each about 15 "long of plastic wrap side by side overlapping about 2 inches forming a seal. You will place the crab ball in the center once you have it formed. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and using your clean hands mix well and form into a ball. Place the cheese ball in the center of the plastic wrap and bring the sides up around it to wrap it well. Refrigerate until serving time.

Sauce:
1 1/2 C. ketchup
1/4 C. prepared horseradish ( more or less to taste)
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of hot sauce

Mix together the sauce. At serving time center the ball on a serving dish large enough or a shallow bowl with enough of a lip that the sauce can flow over it but not over run the dish. Garnish with a few lemon wedges if desired and serve with Triscut, Wheat Thins, and Sociable crackers or others of your liking.