Maryland Crab Cakes

After a failed first attempt at making crab cakes, I found a winning crab cake recipe. Both were from Cooking Light, but for some reason this one worked MUCH better. I liked the texture of the crab and the flavors from all the spices and herbs mixed in.

One thing I didn't skimp on too much while making these is the oil. Now I didn't go overboard, but a nice slick in the bottom of the pan worked great. If you don't have enough oil, you won't get the crispy outer coating from the panko and you'll probably burn them (which is what happened last time, and it was a real bummer). Crab is fairly expensive so you don't want to mess it up!



The recipe called for lump crabmeat, but it turns out that lump meat is really, really pricey. I was ready to give up until a local Marylander who worked at the store told me that special crab would work just as well and was half the price. It consists of the leftover bits of crab meat once the big chunks are removed. See this website for an explanation of types of crab meat: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/understanding-crabmeat.aspx. I also added some Old Bay seasoning to the crab cake mixture and sprinkled some on top while cooking. I thought it gave a more authentic Maryland taste.

RECIPE:
1 lb lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 ½ tbsp mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
½ tsp grated lemon rind
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
Old Bay seasoning to taste
Olive oil

Combine chives, parsley, mayo, egg, lemon rind, lemon juice, pepper, and Old Bay in a large bowl. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Form crab cakes by filling a 1/3 cup measuring cup with mixture, turn over onto work surface, and press gently into a patty of uniform thickness. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook cakes 4 minutes on each side, or until golden on outside.

The recipe also included a creamy Remoulade sauce as a topping, which I really liked so I’ll add it here.


¼ cup light mayo
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
1 ½ tbsp capers, drained and chopped
2 tsp spicy mustard
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and cayenne to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir with whisk. Serve crab cakes with a bit of sauce on top and a fresh veggie or salad on the side. Makes 4 servings of 2 crab cakes each.(per serving: 292cals, 22g fat, 5g carbs, 19g protein)