Need awesome crab imperial and crab cake recipes.
I know there is a prolifera of recipes out there for these dishes. They vary dramatically, but none seem to fit the bill. I have a 1 lb. can of lump crabmeat, and I don't want to waste it experimenting. I'm looking for somethng with a minimum of "filler" so the crab shines through. I had the BEST crabcakes ever about 15 years ago at a little restaurant in downtown Sykesville, MD. They were broiled and melted in your mouth. If anyone is familiar with this restaurant/recipe, I'd love to hear from you too.
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6 Comments:
Seattle Chef Tom Douglas wrote book on crab cakes entitled "I LOVE CRAB CAKES: 50 recipes for an American classic." I had the opportunity a couple years ago to meet him & watch him make crab cakes. His own version is quite good, but in his book he has a recipe for "Chesapeake Bay Classic Crab Cakes" which is pretty much what you are describing.
Anyone who likes crab cakes and would like to experiment, his book is a must and I recommend it.
Tom did loan it to Emeril for use on his show, so the recipe is posted here:
Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes
2qrs at 3:30PM on 06/10/08
An old Maryland recipe.
For 1 lb. of Crab (picked free of shell)
1 heaping soup spoon of mayo
1 good squirt of yellow mustard (2 teaspoons?)
1 TBS of good horseradish
1 egg
tabasco to taste. Not too much. the vinegar will overpower the crab
Dump the crab into a bowl and dust it with Old Bay.
Add a small handful of finely chopped parsley.
Add a dusting of finely ground Ritz cracker crumbs. (a few TBS at most)
Gently toss.
Mix all of the wet ingredients and fold about half of it into the crab. Add more of the wet until the mixture just holds together.
Gently shape into desired size / shape.
Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Broil, pan fry or deep fry. If you broil them, brush with melted butter or olive oil before putting them into the oven.
jdmcdonald at 8:51PM on 06/10/08
@jd - Sounds just like the ones I had in Sykesville. Will try on Father's Day. Thanks so much.
Josdean at 11:12PM on 06/10/08
Spicy Crab Cakes
Delicious crap cakes topped with garlic and onions.
Ingredients
1/2 tsp. garlic minced
1 Tbs. onion minced
1 Tbs. celery diced
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 C. bread crumbs
1 lb. lump crabmeat
2 Tbs. oil for sautéing
Directions
In a large stainless steel bowl, combine all ingredients except crabmeat and breadcrumbs. Using gloved hands, gently mix in crabmeat, and then add breadcrumbs. Spread a thin layer of plain breadcrumbs on work surface. Form crab mixture into equal balls, approximately 2" in diameter. Place on crumbs. Gently flatten ball of crab mixture and round the edges to form cakes about 1/2" thick and 3" round. Refrigerate. In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. of oil until hot. Gently slide in crab cakes 2 at a time. Brown on one side approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side. Turn down heat to simmer and cook crab cakes another 5 - 8 minutes.
Yield: 8 Servings
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 12:56PM on 06/11/08
How'd the old classic recipe turn out, BTW?
My great grandfather Swepson Earle was the first commissioner of conservation for Maryland and Baltimore in the 1920's, and saved the crab (and oysters) there from extinction from over-fishing and pollution. Given our family connection to the crab, I always look for a really good recipe. Was this the one?
Tobey at 4:03PM on 06/16/08
@Tobey - The recipe turned out great with some modifications. I fused a bit of a recipe I already had with the one above, then seasoned to taste. This is roughly what I did (I don't really measure).
1 lb. crab
1 Tbsp. reconstituted dry minced onion
1/3 C. mayo
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbsp. fresh, chopped parsley
2 dashes of cayenne pepper
1 squirt of Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 egg
About 1 Tbsp. Old Bay sprinkled over crab
Crushed Ritz crackers (enough to hold mixture together)
Breadcrumbs (for sauteing)
Once all ingredients are mixed together except the crab, egg and the crackers, adjust seasoning to taste. Add beaten egg. Refrigerate wet ingredients for a few minutes before adding crab. It helps solidify the cakes, and reduces the amount of binder needed. Toss half of the wet ingredients gently with the crab. Add a handful of cracker crumbs. Continue to add more wet ingredients and cracker crumbs until you reach desired consistency. Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to shape the cakes, then refrigerate them for 30 minutes. (They hold together much better.) Before sauteing, lightly dredge top and bottom of cakes in breadcrumbs, then carefully set them in a skillet preheated with vegetable oil. Fry until nicely browned on one side, then carefully flip. After both sides are browned, transfer to a sheet pan and bake at 350 until the cakes are warmed through. Serve with lemon and remoulade sauce, or refrigerate and reheat when needed.
I made mine the night before, then reheated them in a slow oven. Everyone said they were fantastic and held together well, yet didn't taste bready. The recipe yielded 7 cakes.
This was my menu:
Fresh berries mascerated in simple syrup and vanilla topped with fresh whipped cream and a drizzle of sweet balsamic syrup.
Caesar salad
Crabcakes with lemon wedge and remoulade sauce
Creme Brulee infused with Amaretto
Thanks for everyone's recipes and comments. They made my Dad's special day even more special.
Josdean at 7:09PM on 06/16/08