May 12, 2010

Maryland Crab Cakes

appetizer, crab, fish/seafood, main dish

Presented by

42 ratings

Prep time: 15 minutes plus chilling

Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes Servings: 6
Partner: Vermicelli Walnut Salad

We loved helping Grandma make these scrumptious crab cakes.

Ingredients

1 celery stalk (about 1/2 cup chopped)
1 green onion (about 1/4 cup chopped)
1 pound fresh backfin crabmeat, cartilage removed
10 saltine crackers (2 inches each), crushed to equal 1/2 cup crumbs
1 large egg
3 tablespoons tartar sauce
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Lemon slices, optional for garnish

Directions

1

Finely chop celery stalk and green onion; set aside. Combine crabmeat, cracker crumbs, celery and onion in medium bowl; set aside.
2

Beat egg in small bowl with wire whisk. Add tartar sauce and seafood seasoning to egg in bowl and mix; pour over crabmeat mixture.
3

Gently combine egg mixture with crabmeat mixture so large lumps will not be broken. Shape into six 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add oil to large nonstick skillet; heat over medium-high heat until hot.
4

Place crab cakes in skillet; cook until cakes are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes each side. Place crab cakes on heated serving platter. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Grandma's Secret Trick

If Grandma couldn't find fresh crabmeat or if it was out of season, she would substitute canned crabmeat, which she got from her local grocery store. Before adding fresh or canned crabmeat to the recipe, she always picked through the meat, looking for and discarding any shell pieces and cartilage. If she had leftover crabmeat, Grandma would store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for no more than two days.