Four golden, flower-like phyllo crowns sit on white plates, filled with ivory crab salad and topped with emerald green tomato ribbons, apple matchsticks, dill fronds, and delicate buttermilk drizzles.

Crab & Green Tomato Phyllo Crowns with Dill-Buttermilk Drizzle

Name: Crab & Green Tomato Phyllo Crowns with Dill-Buttermilk Drizzle
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound lump crabmeat picked over for shells and gently patted dry; 1/3 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup celery finely diced; 2 tablespoons shallot finely minced; 2 tablespoons, plus extra for garnish fresh dill finely chopped; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning; 2 medium green tomatoes very thinly sliced into half-moons; 1 small crisp apple cored and cut into matchsticks; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 1/2 teaspoons honey divided; 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds; 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1/4 cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely sliced; 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar reserved for the drizzle; 3 sheets phyllo pastry cut into twelve 5-inch squares; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted; 1/4 cup celery leaves or microgreens for garnish; 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt divided; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

Crisp phyllo crowns cradle lemony crab and green-tomato ribbons.

Category Brunch

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 12 minutes

Style American

Technique Quick-pickling

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · September 05, 2026

A little about this dish

These elegant phyllo crowns turn sweet lump crab into a fresh, late-summer brunch centerpiece. Crisp, buttery pastry contrasts with creamy lemon-dill crab, while tangy green tomato, crisp apple, and mustard seed add color, crunch, and just enough acidity. A cool buttermilk drizzle brings the components together without making the dish feel heavy.

Ingredients (for 4)

Lump crabmeat — 1 pound — picked over for shells and gently patted dry
Mayonnaise — 1/3 cup
Celery — 1/4 cup — finely diced
Shallot — 2 tablespoons — finely minced
Fresh dill — 2 tablespoons, plus extra for garnish — finely chopped
Lemon juice — 1 tablespoon
Lemon zest — 1 teaspoon — finely grated
Dijon mustard — 1 teaspoon
Old bay seasoning — 1/2 teaspoon
Green tomatoes — 2 medium — very thinly sliced into half-moons
Crisp apple — 1 small — cored and cut into matchsticks
Apple cider vinegar — 2 tablespoons
Honey — 1 1/2 teaspoons — divided
Yellow mustard seeds — 1/2 teaspoon
Plain greek yogurt — 1/2 cup
Buttermilk — 1/4 cup
Fresh chives — 1 tablespoon — finely sliced
Apple cider vinegar — 1/2 teaspoon — reserved for the drizzle
Phyllo pastry — 3 sheets — cut into twelve 5-inch squares
Unsalted butter — 3 tablespoons — melted
Celery leaves or microgreens — 1/4 cup — for garnish
Kosher salt — 1 1/4 teaspoons — divided
Black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon — freshly ground

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍏🍅🥣

Toss the green tomatoes, apple, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon honey, mustard seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain well.
Step 2 — 🦀🍋🥄

Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Gently fold in the crabmeat, celery, shallot, and chopped dill. Cover and refrigerate.
Step 3 — 🥛🍯🌿

Whisk the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, chives, remaining 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt.
Step 4 — 🔥🧁📋

Heat the oven to 375°F. Set four 4-inch ovenproof ramekins or jumbo muffin cups on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 5 — 🧈📄🌸

Brush each phyllo square with melted butter and press it into a ramekin. Add two more buttered squares, rotating them to create flower-like crowns. Repeat for all four ramekins.
Step 6 — ⏲️🥐✨

Bake the phyllo crowns for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan once, until crisp and deeply golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then carefully remove them from the ramekins.
Step 7 — 🍽️🦀💧

Fill each phyllo crown with one-quarter of the chilled crab mixture. Top with the drained green tomato and apple mixture, then drizzle with the buttermilk sauce.
Step 8 — 🌱🌿🍴

Finish with celery leaves or microgreens and extra fresh dill. Serve immediately while the phyllo is crisp.

A final fox tip

The crowns are best assembled immediately before eating. For a shortcut, use refrigerated phyllo cups, or let children help brush the pastry and arrange the colorful tomato-apple topping. A pinch of finely chopped pickled jalapeño in the crab mixture adds a lively finish.