Tuesday, January 12, 2010

my famous crab cake recipe

in the harrisburg area, every restaurant, caterer, deli, whatever---say they make the BEST crabcakes......
that said, i will tell you that we always made the best!

here is my recipe:

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
2 t. finely, finely diced red bell pepper, trimmed of pith (i call this "confetti" dice)
1/3 c. breadcrumbs
dash of salt and pepper
1 egg
1/2 c. hellman's mayonnaise (this is the only mayonnaise i ever use unless i prepare it myself)
dash of cayenne
juice of 1/2 lemon (fresh only, not from a bottle)

method:  beat the egg in small bowl and then add mayonnaise and mix well.  add dash of cayenne and the juice of the lemon.  in a large bowl, put the jumbo lump crabmeat.  (**always smell the crabmeat before you use it or add it to anything--it should smell like the seashore in a pleasant way, no ammonia smell whatsoever!) 

sprinkle the crabmeat with the tiny dice of red pepper, a dash of salt and pepper and the breadcrumbs.  with a soft spatula, toss lightly to mix.  then pour the egg mixture over and, again, using a soft spatula, toss to mix taking care not to break up the lumps of crab too much.

melt 3 T. butter on a baking sheet.  form the crabmeat mixture into large mounds and place on the baking sheet.  you should yeild 5 or 6  crabcakes per 1 lb. of crabmeat.  bake in preheated 350* oven for 8 - 10 minutes.  the crabcakes should be lightly browned on top and butter sizzling.

tips:  these crabcakes can be formed small for hors d'oeuvres or just a bit larger as a wonderful addition to a composed salad.  since ovens vary in temperature and "hot spots",  a few additional minutes may be required for the baking time.



1 comment:

  1. DELICIOUSLY EASY
    After being spoiled by my mother's cooking for 33 years, I decided it was time for me to step it up in the kitchen. Filled with anxiety, I called her for instructions on how to make her famous crab cakes after getting in over my head while preparing dinner for friends. Aside from my misstep in adding more than a "dash" of cayenne, my friends told me these were the best crab cakes they'd ever had.
    Thanks Trishie!

    ReplyDelete