Crab and Avocado Melts

Weekend lunches are often an afterthought for me.  I'm all over leisurely weekend breakfasts, Saturday night pizza and Sunday dinner, but lunch seems to get lost in the shuffle of outings, errands and general relaxation.  Last weekend, though, we were home between two out of town trips, and I was missing being in the kitchen.  Suddenly, lunch seemed like a lot more fun.  Always a sucker for a dressed up sandwich, I went with these crab and avocado melts.

Inspired by a sandwich special I had at Brick Alley on a work trip to Cape Cod a few months ago, I made a pretty classic crab salad, using red bell pepper instead of celery, and included a layer of creamy avocado.  Topped with sharp cheddar and broiled just long enough to melt it, these knife-and-fork sandwiches made a Saturday lunch a little more special.

Crab and Avocado Melts

What's in them:

1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp sour cream
8 oz. crab meat, picked over for shell pieces (I used fresh claw meat, but feel free to use anything from canned to lump crab here)
salt & pepper
2 tsp butter
2 English muffins
1 avocado, sliced
1-2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
4 thin red onion slices
4 tomato slices

How to make them:

Combine bell pepper through crab meat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Split English muffins, butter each half, and toast under the broiler for a few minutes, until just slightly golden.  Divide avocado between the muffin halves, using a fork to lightly mash so that avocado is spread evenly.  Top each with a quarter of the crab salad, red onion, then cheese.  Put back under the broiler, and toast until cheese is melted and just starting to bubble.

Serve immediately, with tomato slices.