Today I made classic Maryland crab cakes. That means a tiny bit of filler and big lumps of fresh, sweet crab meat. Unfortunately, no filler also means crab cakes that lack structural integrity. These lovelies are very delicate, and, just like Boston's Big Dig, one false move and they fall apart. A possible solution, which I will try the next time I make these, is refrigerating the cakes for a few hours before cooking.
I served the cakes with chipotle-mayonnaise, my new favorite condiment. These two go together like Barack and Michelle: perfectly.
Ingredients
1 lb. jumbo lump or backfin lump crab meat, fresh or pasteurized
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1-1/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (from soft white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
Drain the crab meat, if necessary, and pick through it for shells ( jumbo lump will not have shells). Put the crab in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Scrape the mixture over the crab and mix gently until well combined. Gently break up the lumps with your fingers but do not over mix.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the parsley over the mixture, and mix them in thoroughly but gently; try not to turn the mixture into a mash—it should still be somewhat loose. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours. {Arugula Files Note: When I make these again, and I will definitely make them again, I will form the patties first and then place the cakes in the fridge. I'm hoping this will make a difference in helping the cakes stay together.}
Shape the crab mixture into 8 cakes about 1 inch thick. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. When the butter is frothy, add the cakes to the pan (8 should fit comfortably). Cook until dark golden brown on the underside, about 4 minutes. Flip the cakes, reduce the heat to medium low, and continue cooking until the other side is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the cakes.
