ISO - Crab Cake Recipe

[blazedog]

Does anybody have a good recipe for crabcakes -- the kind you get in a really good restaurant which are mostly sublime crab :) The very basic but yummy ones.

Light would be good -- I don't mind pan sauteing but I don't want to deep fry in massive amounts of oil.

Thanks.

[cangoss]

I love the recipe off the can of Old Bay seasoning. I use Bremner Wafers in place of the bread.


2 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons OLD BAY® Seasoning
2 teaspoons McCormick® Parsley Flakes
1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 pound fresh lump crab meat


1. Break bread into small pieces. Mix in mayonnaise, Old Bay, parsley, mustard and egg. Stir in crabmeat.

2. Shape mixture into patties. Broil for 10 minutes without turning or fry until golden-brown on both sides. Sprinkle with extra Old Bay if desired.



Calories: 204, Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 146 mg, Sodium: 713 mg, Carbohydrates: 7 g, Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 23 g

http://www.mccormick.com/recipedetail.cfm?id=951

[jphilg]

I second the recipe on the side of the Old Bay can. It really has never failed for me, although I sub about 1/3 cup Panko for the fresh breadcrumbs, and fresh parsley for the dried.

I also have found that broiled crab cakes are much better (and more authentically Maryland, if the locals I hear from are to be believed!) than fried. One night I did a taste test, and both DH (a fool for anything fried) and I preferred the broiled cakes.

My preferred sauce these days is grain mustard, mayonnaise, and sherry vinegar whisked together (1:3:1ish), with a few rinsed, chopped capers thrown in.

[Clover]

This one's good, and almost all crabmeat. It's from Firehouse Food: Cooking with San Francisco's Firefighters. I also like the Wild Rice Crab Cakes from CL 10/02 (in Recipe Finder,) but they're not all crabmeat.

Dungeness Crab Cakes

1 lb cooked Dungeness crabmeat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 green onions, finely chopped (white & pale green parts only)
1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons butter

Mix crabmeat with mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, and 1/3 cup breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Form mixture into 12 flat cakes, about 1/2 inch thick and 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

Spread remaining 2/3 cup breadcrumbs on a plate. Coat crabcakes on both sides and on their edges with the crumbs. Refrigerate the cakes for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute 6 of the crabcakes until golden brown and heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel and keep warm. Discard any remaining oil in the pan and wipe it out with a paper towel. Heat the remaining oil and butter in the pan and saute the other 6 crabcakes in the same way. Serve warm with lemon wedges and tartar sauce on the side.

(Recipe from Darryl Dair, truck 11)

Here is the tartar sauce recipe they specify, though IMO some other kind of sauce or salsa is perfectly OK.

Ed's Tartar Sauce
(Lt. Ed Dea, division of training)

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped, white and pale green parts only
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne. stir in the green onions, parsley, and relish. It will keep up to one week, refrigerated in an airtight container.

[Lillith]

Originally posted by cangoss
I love the recipe off the can of Old Bay seasoning. Old Bay, parsley, mustard and egg. Stir in crabmeat.

2. Shape mixture into patties. Broil for 10 minutes without turning or fry until golden-brown on both sides.

I know this will sound dumb, but are you supposed to broil only ONE side of the crabcakes - or do the directions mean not to flip until you broil the first side for 10 min? I ask b/c sometimes recipes tell you not to disturb first side too early or else it'll fall apart.

[NewMrsG]

I made an Epicurious recipe for Valentine's Day dinner - I think called Crab Cakes 21 Club - I posted a review for it somewhere here. They were WONDERFUL - mostly crab with some veggies and just a bit of crumb. I also used panko instead of the breadcrumbs. I used a sauce of lemon juice, chili sauce, and lowfat mayo. Although it was my first attempt at homemade crab cakes, I'd be hard pressed to ever use another recipe.

Let me know if you can't find it - I'd be happy to post it.

[RebeccaT]

We loved this one from CL a couple of years ago:


Pearl Oyster Bar Crab Cakes with Sweet Corn Ragout

Top these quintessential crab cakes with a refreshing sweet corn relish.


Crab cakes:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded plum tomato
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
7 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons butter

Ragout:
1/4 cup water
2 3/4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1 1/2 cups finely chopped seeded plum tomato (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

To prepare crab cakes, combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add 2 tablespoons tomato and crabmeat, tossing gently to coat. Stir in 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450°.

Fill a 1/4-cup measuring cup with crab mixture to form 1 patty. Remove from measuring cup; repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture to form 8 patties. Lightly dredge patties in 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs.

Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 4 minutes. Turn patties; wrap handle of pan with foil. Place pan in oven; bake at 450° for 5 minutes or until patties are golden brown and thoroughly heated.

To prepare ragout, bring 1/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add corn and peas; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 1 1/2 cups tomato and remaining ingredients. Serve ragout with crab cakes.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 crab cake and 1/3 cup ragout)

CALORIES 173 (28% from fat); FAT 5.4g (satfat 2g, monofat 1.6g, polyfat 0.9g); PROTEIN 15.1g; CARBOHYDRATE 17.5g; FIBER 2.3g; CHOLESTEROL 103mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 462mg; CALCIUM 81mg;
Cooking Light, JULY 2003

[Canice]

I made these in a class I took a few weeks ago and everyone agreed they were out of this world - very crabby!

Crab Cakes with Chile-Lime Aioli

Crab Cakes:
12 ounces lump crabmeat, picked through for cartilage
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs, plus additional for coating crab cakes
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 large jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 small yellow onion, minced
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 egg
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3-4 tablespoons canola oil

]Chile-lime Aioli
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup olive oil
Zest of 1 lime
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1-2 habanero or other hot chile peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced

For the crab cakes:
Combine the crabmeat with 3/4 cup breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Set aside. In another medium bowl, mix together the mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, jalapeño, cilantro, egg, onion, mayonnaise and lemon zest and juice. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crabmeat and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If it feels too moist to hold together well, add some additional breadcrumbs.

Shape about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the crab mixtgure at a time into half-dollar-size rounds. Continue with the remaining crab mixture. Place about 1cup of breadcrumbs on a plate and dip both sides of each crab cake in crumbs to coat evenly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches of 6-8, place the crab cakes in the skillet and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn the cakes and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute more. Transfer the crab cakes to a paper towel to absorb the oil. Serve warm with Chile-Lime Aioli.

For the Chile-Lime Aioli:
Place the garlic and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until puréed. Add the egg and egg yolk and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl to combine the ingredients thoroughly. With the machine running, *very slowly* add the canola oil, a few drops at a time at first, and then in a very thin, steady stream; it will emmulsify and thicken. Repeat with the olive oil. Next, quickly pulse in the lime zest and the juice. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the habanero peppers. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Makes about 2 dozen

Adapted from “Martha Stewart’s Hors D’Oeuvres Handbook”

[PoppyJ]

I love this recipe. It is a nice twist on crab cakes.

Thai Crab Cakes with Cilantro-Peanut Sauce

1 1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 cup fresh bean sprouts, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
Cilantro-Peanut Sauce

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill 1 hour. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add 4 patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove patties from skillet, and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon oil and 4 patties. Serve with Cilantro-Peanut Sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 patties and 3 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 315(30% from fat); FAT 10.5g(sat 1.8g,mono 4.7g,poly 2.6g); PROTEIN 30.6g; CHOLESTEROL 169mg; CALCIUM 169mg; SODIUM 784mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 3.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 1998

Cilantro-Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter, and stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool, and stir in cilantro and mint.

Yield: 3/4 cup

Cooking Light, JULY 1998

[jphilg]

Lillith, I broil on one side only. I don't know that I've ever seen them flipped around here, other than the fried ones.

[jem927]

The Wild Rice Crab Cakes from CL are my favorite - whenever my mother and I get together in the kitchen, these are on the list. The wild rice gives it a nice nutty flavor, in addition to the crab, but it doesn't overwhelm it. Also, I don't know what your preference is, but these stay together nicely, instead of being a crab dip with a crust - where the filling is soft. They make excellent crab cake sandwiches too.

WILD RICE CRAB CAKES
The addition of cumin to these hearty crab cakes enhances the nuttiness of the wild rice. If you want to top them with a sauce, combine light mayonnaise with lemon juice and a pinch of curry powder. Serve these with lemon wedges.

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Combine cooked wild rice, crab, and next 11 ingredients (crab through egg whites) in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1-inch-thick patty.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 4 patties; cook 4 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; cook 4 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and patties.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 crab cake)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 186(31% from fat); FAT 6.4g(sat 1g,mono 2.9g,poly 2g); PROTEIN 15.1g; CHOLESTEROL 59mg; CALCIUM 87mg; SODIUM 524mg; FIBER 1g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.4g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000

[Lillith]

Originally posted by jphilg
Lillith, I broil on one side only. I don't know that I've ever seen them flipped around here, other than the fried ones.

Thank You!!

[tuff2000]

Our favorite, more traditional, is the Maryland Crab Cake recipe from CookingLight:

Maryland Crab Cakes
From Cooking Light


1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
1 1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon 2% low-fat milk
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Lemon wedges (optional)

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Divide crabmeat mixture into 8 equal portions. Place 1 1/3 cups breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dredge crabmeat portions in breadcrumbs, shaping into patties about 3 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
Heat 1 tablespooon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 patties, and cook 3 minutes. Carefully turn patties over, and cook 3 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and patties. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 141(32% from fat); FAT 5g(sat 0.9g,mono 1.4g,poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 14.7g; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 81mg; SODIUM 415mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.6g

Cooking Light, JUNE 1995

We Usually will serve this with home-made steak fries, or sweet potato fries, and a fresh steamed vegetable.

[tuff2000]

By the way, we also did enjoy the Mexicali Crab Cakes from CL and also the Pearl Oyster Bar Crab Cakes with Sweet Corn Ragout(mostly the sweet corn ragout). But here are a few more that we have experimented with in the past. (Yes, we like crab cakes very much, and have tried them just about every way:) )

Crab Burgers
From Southern Living


1 pound fresh crabmeat
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
6 lettuce leaves
3 English muffins, split
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Garnish: fresh Italian parsley sprigs

Drain and flake crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.
Stir together crabmeat and next 7 ingredients. Shape into 6 (3 1/2-inch) patties. Chill 1 hour.

Cook patties in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place lettuce on muffin halves. Top with crab burgers; spoon Roasted Red Pepper Sauce over burgers. Garnish, if desired; serve with tomato wedges.



Yield: 6 servings


Crab Cake Sandwiches
From Southern Living


3/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound lump crabmeat, flaked
1/3 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 onion sandwich buns
Tartar Sauce
Commercial coleslaw

Combine first 8 ingredients; gently fold in crabmeat. Shape crab mixture into 6 patties; dredge in 1/3 cup breadcrumbs. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook crab cakes, in batches, 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve on buns with Tartar Sauce and coleslaw.

Yield: Makes 6 servings


Crab Cakes Our Way
From Southern Living


1 pound fresh crabmeat
6 to 8 saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Red Pepper Rémoulade Sauce

Drain and flake crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.
Combine crushed crackers and next 7 ingredients; gently fold crabmeat into mixture. Shape into 6 thin patties.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add crab cakes; cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Red Pepper Rémoulade Sauce

Crab-and-Scallop Cakes
From Southern Living


The day before, mix and shape the cakes, and make the sauces. Sauté the cakes one hour before the party; cover and keep warm in a 200° oven.

1 pound bay scallops, drained
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 green onions, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 pounds fresh lump crabmeat, drained
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Red Pepper Sauce
Yellow Pepper Sauce
Garnishes: parsley sprigs, lemon wedges

Process scallops in a food processor until chopped. Add cream and next 4 ingredients; process until combined, stopping to scrape down sides.
Combine scallop mixture, onions, and tomato; gently fold in crabmeat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Shape mixture into 8 patties (about 1/3 cup each).

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add cakes, and cook, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Serve with Red Pepper Sauce and Yellow Pepper Sauce; garnish, if desired.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

[Lauren]

I love crab cakes! I made this recipe for Valentines Day and they were fab!

Crab Cakes On Mixed Greens w/Peanut Vinaigrette-CL 1/05

BTW - do you belong to a BJ's or Costco? I bought a big can of lump crab meat for $10.

[doglady8]

Originally posted by Lauren
I love crab cakes! I made this recipe for Valentines Day and they were fab!

Crab Cakes On Mixed Greens w/Peanut Vinaigrette-CL 1/05

BTW - do you belong to a BJ's or Costco? I bought a big can of lump crab meat for $10.

Wow! I think I'm going to have to try all of these recipes! They all sound terrific!

Lauren - where in Costco would the crabmeat can be located? Any idea? I haven't seen it, but then again, I haven't looked specifically for crabmeat. Thanks!

Nancy

[cangoss]

The crab meat is in the refrigerated section at Costco in the area where the cheeses, tortellini, guacamole, and that kind of stuff are. It's usually a black can. I wouldn't eat it straight up, but it's great for things like crab cakes. They have the same stuff at Trader Joe's too for about the same price.

[doglady8]

Thanks for the directions cangoss - I know just the area you're refering to. I'll definitely pick some up the next time I'm in Costco.

[blazedog]

Originally posted by NewMrsG
I made an Epicurious recipe for Valentine's Day dinner - I think called Crab Cakes 21 Club - I posted a review for it somewhere here. They were WONDERFUL - mostly crab with some veggies and just a bit of crumb. I also used panko instead of the breadcrumbs. I used a sauce of lemon juice, chili sauce, and lowfat mayo. Although it was my first attempt at homemade crab cakes, I'd be hard pressed to ever use another recipe.

Let me know if you can't find it - I'd be happy to post it.

NewMrsG -- The notes on the epicurious recipe indicated that 2 tablespoons of Old Bay was too much -- Did you make per the recipe or modify.

Also, I have penzeys crab boil -- is that the same as Old Bay?

These are all phenomenal recipes -- luckily I found the can of refrigerated crabmeat at Trader Joes which is what inspired my request -- I look forward to many happy taste tests -- I would think crab cakes freeze well :D

[NewMrsG]

Originally posted by blazedog


NewMrsG -- The notes on the epicurious recipe indicated that 2 tablespoons of Old Bay was too much -- Did you make per the recipe or modify.

Also, I have penzeys crab boil -- is that the same as Old Bay?


I did modify, but can't remember how! I'll have to check for you at home. My recollection though is that I went with the suggestions of the reviewers on Epicurious. And I also used the TJ's crab - which was beautiful and already picked through, saving me some work!

I don't know if the crab boil is the same - my understanding is that Old Bay is really just a seasoned salt - not sure what a crab boil is. Sorry!