Crab Cakes

C R A B  C A K E S 

This is where I make one of our favorite Summer Traditions, something no summer would be complete without, homemade Crab Cakes.  I thought it would be fun to take you into the kitchen while I do it . . . because it’s easier than you would ever imagine and makes the restaurant-made ones pale in sad comparison. 

We bought this canned crab meat at our fish market here on the island and you should be able to find it at your supermarket. If not, The Net Result (freshest most wonderful fish, they have lobsters too) will ship it to you.  It’s pricey, around $25 a pound, but it’s all pure meat.  And this recipe serves eight.  And btw, a 3 oz. serving of this crab meat has 100 calories, 1 gram of fat, and no carbs.  

“Lump crab” is what you need ~ but they’ve gone a little crazy with the “lump” description ~ because now there’s “colossal lump,” “super lump,” and “jumbo lump.”  There’s also claw meat, but you don’t want that.  Crab cakes should look substantial (full of chunks of meat) so the lump you want is the one just above claw, which in our case was “Super.”  That’s plenty big enough.  You drain it, rinse it, and then break it up a little bit.  You have to do that so the pieces will be small enough to stick together, but big enough to say I’M A CRAB when someone cuts into it. I don’t like it when I cut into a Crab Cake and have to say, “Where’s the crab?”  That doesn’t happen with this recipe.

Once you have your crab, it’s easy; open the cans and drain them in a colander, in the meantime, put two large egg whites into a big bowl . . .

then 2/3 c. of mayonnaise

some Dijon mustard (the recipe will be at the bottom)

and Worcestershire sauce

A couple of teaspoons of fresh lemon juice . . .

which you’ll need to strain so you don’t get any seeds

chopped fresh parsley

a half-cup of minced green onion . . .

We’ll stop here with the cayene ~ need to tell you something: This is where I may have gone a little bit wrong. And you know Girlfriends, I am not here to lead you astray.  This Crab Cake recipe (from page 86 of my Summer Book) calls for 1 and 1/4 tsp. of cayenne.  The quote on the bottom of that page says, “Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting.” (Chaucer)  Well, no woe to any cook around here, because sting is what there is plenty of. I think they were a little too hot. I will say that there was not a crumb left on anyone’s plate, they were DELICIOUS.  But if you make this, I suggest you put in only one teaspoon of cayenne.  That’s all the woelessness you really need — go change it in your book as soon as you’re done here.  Thank you.

Then add a bit of salt, a half-cup of fresh bread crumbs (you make yourself in a food processor)  ~  Stir it together well, then gently fold in the crab meat.

This makes either eight large cakes or sixteen small cakes (about 3″ in diameter for the small ones), however you choose to do it.  Form the little cakes, pat more fresh breadcrumbs on each side, put them on a flat surface and into the fridge for at least an hour before cooking them.

H O M E M A D E   T A R T A R   S A U C E 

I’m making a batch of homemade Tartar Sauce to go along with the crab cakes.  Another easy, fast recipe ~ a quick stir of mayonnaise, minced parsley, capers, minced green onion, minced sweet pickle (or relish), and cider vinegar produces the most fabulous concoction, fantastic with fish, amazing with French fries.

And VOILA if I do say so myself.  The Crab Cakes are broiled, four minutes on each side until toasty brown.  See all the chunks of crab meat in there?  Serve them with a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

I put the cakes on a bed of arugula along with the lemon and the Tartar Sauce for the first course of our dinner with friends.

Here’s what the cakes look like inside.  They actually taste BETTER than this picture looks.  I hope you try them.

Byee, love you ♥ have a wonderful time wherever you are! XOXO

C R A B    C A K E S

• 2 egg whites
• 2/3 c. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 c. minced parsley
• 1/2 c. minced green onion
• 1 tsp. cayenne (don’t be afraid, this is perfect)
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 lbs. lump crab meat, drained and rinsed (“Super lump” I would say)
• 2 c. fresh bread crumbs (I make mine from sour dough bread and don’t let them get too fine)
• lemon wedges

Drain and rinse the crab meat.  Make sure there’s no shell in it while breaking it up a bit.  If the pieces are really big, it will be hard for the cake to hold together, but you still want them big enough to show .  Stir together first nine ingredients, then gently fold in the crab meat and 1/2 c. of bread crumbs.  Form the mixture either into 8 large patties or 16 small ones (small ones would be a little under 3″ in diameter); press bread crumbs into each side, place them on a flat surface and refrigerate them for an hour or more.  This helps them hold together when they cook, which they do, perfectly.  TO COOK: preheat the broiler, put the rack four inches from the heat source.  Put the cakes on a lightly oiled sheet pan and broil them 4″ from the heat for 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.  Serve on a bed of arugula with lemon wedges and Tartar Sauce.

T A R T A R   S A U C E

• 1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. capers
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. minced parsley
• 3 tsp. minced green onion
• 3 tsp. minced sweet pickle (or sweet pickle relish)
• 2 1/4 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Blend ingredients and chill.