Gettin’ all crabby!

The other day, soon after a relaxing therapy session in my kitchen (actually, dicing some bell peppers – “try it, you’ll like it!”), I was contemplating uses for them, other than in my scrambled eggs at breakfast. There was some crab in my fridge, and the call for crab cakes rang loud and clear. Sharing a photo (above) with family, I was asked for the recipe. That’s when I realized that I really didn’t have “a crab cake recipe”, but, instead, make them, as well as crab salad, using ingredients either on hand or easily obtainable, recreating flavor profiles from my memories.

Flashback! Years, and I mean YEARS ago, when having the opportunity to go crabbing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I discovered that the reason we have chicken necks, other than homemade chicken stock, is to bait crab traps. That was before chicken wings became ‘something’, but even then it was the necks. Now, back to the present.

First, crab cakes. Let’s talk ingredients and process, and I’ll share tidbits for variations as we go along.

THE CRAB (for cakes or salad)

There ain’t nothin’ easy about boiling, cracking, and removing meat from crabs, so buy it at the market, ready to use. My go-to is crab by Waterfront Bistro, a proprietary brand of the Safeway/Albertson’s stores. It’s sourced and packaged in Indonesia, is pasteurized and sealed, and has a surprisingly long shelf life when maintained in the fridge. A real advantage is that it comes in three ‘sizes’, from shredded small pieces, to lump, to jumbo lump.

THE OTHER INGREDIENTS

Here’s a basic list of ingredients. For the ‘carriers’, like mayonnaise, and any fillers (like crackers), making crab cakes or crab salad is like cutting hair – a little bit at a time until you get it where you want it. I’m sharing how I made the crab cakes shown at the top.

Mayonnaise – just enough to hold the crab cakes together. Start with a teaspoon per serving. Some recipes call for an egg, but mayo has enough egg to serve the purpose.

Prepared yellow mustard – start small. You can always add more.

Dijon mustard – I’d save the Dijon mustard for showstopper crab cakes like the jumbo lump version shown.

Onion – finely diced, and again, start sparingly. You don’t want to overpower the delicate flavor of the crab.

Green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers – again, finely diced. Things will hold together better, and the peppers won’t steal the show or the taste.

Parsley – finely chopped. A personal preference is good ol’ curly parsley, not the flat leaf Italian. The curly parsley has a bolder flavor, and if you have memories of crab cakes, the taste of the curly kind will most likely be a part of those memories. It’s also the variety most used to garnish.

Filler – crushed saltines work well. Want gluten free? Use some rice crackers instead. The ratio of filler to crab is a matter of personal preference. Too, depending on whether you’re frying them in a little oil, or baking them, the filler and the mayo is what’s going to hold them together for you, so keep that in mind. If using the jumbo lump, I wholeheartedly believe that less it better.

Seasonings – a matter of personal preference. Old Bay is popular, and because it’s by McCormick (headquartered in Baltimore), purists will swear that a crab cake isn’t a ‘Maryland Crab Cake’ unless the Old Bay is front and center. There are other seafood seasoning’s out there, so sniff around if you’re in the market for some. A favorite of mine the Chesapeake Bay Seasoning by The Spice House. It doesn’t take much to see where they’re going with this, but I find it to be more mellow than Old Bay. Again, it will be your choice. Regardless, since most of the spice blends have paprika in them, I’d suggest not going for any more heat.

LET’S MAKE CRAB CAKES

Start with mayonnaise, mustard, onion, and bell peppers in a bowl, and combine them. At this point, you want it to seem somewhat ‘loose’, so adjust your mayo and mustard accordingly.

Add the crab, and toss until the crab is evenly coated and the peppers and onions are even throughout.

Add your seasoning, and mix it in. Remember, start small.

Add filler sparingly, working until the mixture just holds together. Shape the cakes (or put them in rings), place them on a parchment lined tray, and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes or so. This will help them stay together.

You can fry or bake them. Crab Imperial should be baked, and those instructions are in the Crab Imperial recipe. Otherwise, frying is my preference. Heat a pan over medium heat, adding a thin layer of oil once the pan is heated. About 4-5 minutes per side is enough. At this point, you’re just about ready.

COCKTAIL SAUCE

Your choice – buy it or make it. Heinz Chili Sauce works, but so does ketchup with horseradish and a bit of lemon juice (pictured above). As much as I like KumBak Sauce, I think it goes better with shrimp than with crab.

SERVING and PRESENTATION

First, gadgets. The less filler, the more likely the cakes will tend to fall apart as they cook, especially when you fry them. Crumpet/English Muffin Rings are a big help. Butter the inside of them, fill them with your crab cake mixture, and fry away. You will probably want to use a spatula under them as you move and turn them, but you can remove the rings once they’ve set and just turn them over.

NOW, LET’S MAKE CRAB SALAD

While there are hot crab salad recipes out there, my preference is chilled/cold. It makes a great, light summer lunch, and the slimmer the list of ingredients, the better.

Start with crab, of course, and preferably the small or lump (not jumbo). For salad, I like to start with the crab in the bowl, building from there.

Toss in a bit of mayonnaise, just until it looks like you want it to, and just enough to hold it together.

Some finely, and I mean finely, diced celery will add great flavor, and a really nice crunch.

Lastly, some finely chopped fresh herbs. Thyme is good; parsley works, and I’d go Italian for this. I’ve seen recipes with chervil; maybe even sage. The fresher the better. Dried won’t give you the flavor, and you’ll feel them on your tongue.

SERVING and PRESENTATION

And speaking of radishes, sliced or diced radishes as garnish add color, crunch, and just enough heat to balance it all out.

Crab salad also goes well on a thick slice of tomato; better yet atop some avocado. As I type this, I’m even thinking that sliced avocado with a topping of crab salad might even pair well with a crisp slice of bacon (but, then, what doesn’t)?

Hungry yet? Enjoy!!!