Crabmeat Cheesecake

FOR THE CRUST, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grind the pecans fine in a food processor. Add the flour and salt and process to mix. Remove to a large mixing bowl and cut in the butter with 2 knives until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the ice water and mix just until the dough holds together.

Roll the dough 1/8-inch-thick on a lightly floured surface. Press into a lightly greased 9-inch tart pan, starting with the side and then the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

FOR THE FILLING, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Sauté the onion in butter in a sauté pan until translucent. Add the crabmeat and cook just until heated through; remove from heat.

Beat the cream cheese in a mixer fitted with a paddle or with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the Creole cream cheese and mix well. Mix in the eggs on at a time. Fold in the crabmeat mixture gently. Stir in the hot sauce and season with kosher salt and white pepper.

Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until firm to the touch.

FOR THE SAUCE, combine the lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a heavy saucepot. Cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Whisk in the cream.

Reduce the heat to low and add 1 pound butter one piece at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding more butter. Remove from the heat and stir until completely smooth. Season with kosher salt and white pepper. Strain through a fine strainer and keep warm.

Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet until the mushrooms are tender and the moisture has completely evaporated; excess moisture from the mushrooms may cause the sauce to break when the mushrooms are added. Stir the mushrooms into the sauce.

TO SERVE, slice the cheesecake and place on serving plates. Top each serving with the warm sauce and garnish with 3 sautéed crab claw fingers.