Crabmeat Cheesecake With Pecan Crust (Creole) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE PECAN CRUST
3/4 cup pecans
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
3 tablespoons ice water
FOR THE FILLING
1/2 small onion, finely diced
4 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 eggs
1 dash salt, to taste
1 dash white pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (to taste)
FOR THE GARNISH
2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced (mixed wild & exotic)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 ounces Worcestershire sauce
1 ounce hot sauce
3 ounces heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
24 crab, claw fingers
1 dash salt, to taste
1 dash black pepper, to taste

Preparation

FOR THE PECAN CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grind the pecans, flour & salt in a food processor until fine, then transfer to a bowl.
Add butter, working it into the flour until there are crumbs the size of small peas.
Toss in the ice water, & using fingers, lift up the dough to incorporate evenly. [The dough will remain fairly crumbly].
Starting with the sides, & then the bottom, press the dough into a 9\" tart pan.
Bake crust for about 20 minutes, then allow it to cool before filling. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
FOR THE FILLING: Cook the onion in a little butter over medium heat until translucent.
Add crabmeat & cook just until heated through, then remove from heat & set aside.
In a mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, blend the cream cheese until smooth, then add the yogurt & sour cream. After that add the eggs one at a time.
Fold this cheese mixture into the crabmeat mixture, & season to taste with salt, pepper & hot sauce.
Pour this mixture into the prepared & cooled crust, then bake for about 30 minutes until set & firm to the touch.
FOR THE GARNISH: Saute shallots until translucent, then add mushrooms and 'SWEAT' until just cooked through.
Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce & hot sauce, & cook until the mixture is reduced by 3/4.
Add heavy cream & cook until reduced by half, then whisk in the butter.
In a separate saute pan, add crab claw fingers. Salt & pepper to taste, then pour the reduced mixture over the crab claws & keep warm.
Each slice of cheesecake gets 3 crab claws & 2 tablespoons of the reduced sauce.