Many people, especially those living along the coasts, consider crab cakes a delicacy. Just the mere mention of them can make natives of states such as Maryland and Louisiana bubble over with enthusiasm.
I’d never made crab cakes before yesterday, and with all certainly, it won’t be my last time, either, because the result was simply delicious. But the thought about making them had crossed my mind several times over the years.
A friend, the late Gordy Love of Grand Forks, used to tell me with pride about the crab cakes he used to make when he cooked at an Alaskan hunting camp. His accounts were so descriptive and stimulating that it made my mouth water. There were times that I almost rushed out and bought some crabmeat after hearing one of his stories.
Gordy would have been proud of the ones fixed yesterday. They were made with premium lump crabmeat (not imitation) from wild-caught blue crab, what many of the world’s top chefs consider the most flavorful of all species.
The recipe I used came on the inside cover of the crabmeat container, a simple one that only required ingredients that we already had on hand.
Our crab cakes were nicely complemented with some tasty risotto (made with brown rice) and a garden-fresh salad. It was a meal that only was very tasty but also quite nutritious, and one that the hunters Gordy used to cook for would have greatly relished.
Crab Cakes
16 ounces crabmeat
2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/3 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/3 teaspoons yellow mustard
2/3 cup crackers, crushed
1 1/3 teaspoons parsley, chopped
Mix all ingredients except crabmeat. Gently blend in crabmeat. Form into cakes. Cover loosely with wax paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Pan-fry cakes in hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.