Crab Cake Trio

                      If you are a frequent follower of my blog, which I hope you are, you know that a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be a judge at the Shore Chef Crab Cake Cook Off. Having eaten all that seafood, I was surprisingly not sick of it! In fact, I was inspired by it. The following recipes are a combination of inspiration, imagination, and basic bravery, haha. Now I have made crab cakes before, I call them OriGINAl Crab Cakes and I honestly love them for their simplicity and flavor. However, like almost everything I make, I try to “out-do” myself the next time I feel like having it. Which basically brings us to these crab cake recipes… Rather than going with traditional, I wanted to go with, well, experimental. I decided to coat them 3 ways- crushed up potato chips, French’s French Fried Onions, and Panko breadcrumbs. I tried to keep the size of the cakes small so I could indulge in all three in one sitting, I recommend you do the same because each one is distinctive and delicious. My favorite though was the fried onions, my goodness those cakes were superb! The sweet onion flavor survived the “fry” while the itsy pieces of crunchy onions crackled with every bite!  Also important to note is they all made great sliders the next day!Serving: 9 crab cakes



Pan-Fried Crab Cake Trio

OBJ: TCW be able to make some sort of restaurant quality crab cake appetizer

Ingredients:

1 C jumbo lump crab meat (1/2 of a 1 lb can), drained and picked through

½ Vidalia onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ red bell pepper, chopped

¼  tsp crushed red pepper

1 TBS fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 C fresh spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped

3 TBS mayonnaise

1 egg

1 TBS Dijon mustard

¼ C plus 2 TBS Panko breadcrumbs

½ C canola oil

S & P: salt and pepper

For breading purposes:

1 C Panko breadcrumbs

1 C French’s French Fried Onions, pounded in a baggie

2 C Potato Chips, pounded in a baggie (when pounded in should = 1 C)

2 eggs

Procedures:

1. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-low flame

2. Add onion, garlic, parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch S & P, cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often
 3. Add red bell pepper and another pinch S & P, cook for 10 minutes, or until pepper has softened

4. Add spinach, cover for 2 minutes, then turn off flame and mix well. Put aside and let cool completely or refrigerate

 

Saute mixture...

5. In a large mixing bowl, add crab meat, sauté mixture, mayo, mustard, egg, panko, and a pinch S & P. Mix well to incorporate   


Crab mixture...

6. Assemble the breading station: Place Panko, fried onions, and potato chips each in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat 2 eggs

7. Optional: I sprinkle a pinch of pepper in my Panko, fried onions, and chips for extra spice and flavor
 

Assembly line.....

8. Using a ¼ C measuring cup, shape crab mixture into a plump patty, dip in egg, drain well (kind of go back and forth between your hands), then coat both sides and edges in Panko, shake off excess and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining crab mixture and other breading options. This recipe worked out great for 3 of each type of breading

 9. Once all the crab cakes have been breaded and placed on baking sheet, place in refrigerator for at least an hour for the cakes to set
10. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

11. Heat a large sauté pan (use same one as previously if you washed it) over medium-high heat, add about ½ C canola oil (depending on the sides of your pan, it should come up ¼ way) and allow oil to heat up, about 5 minutes (When oil is ready, it immediately bubbles when a small piece of breadcrumb immediately fries or the back of a wooden spoon when put to bottom of pan makes bubbles), place crab cakes in oil

*** If they don’t immediately start to fry when placed in oil, the oil isn’t hot enough, you have to wait longer!***



Potato Chip...



Fried Onion....



Panko...

12. Flip after about 4-5 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Fry opposite side for 4-5 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown

13. When both sides are golden brown, place on baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake for 5 minutes. This ensures a hot crab cake all the way through

14. Serve with lemon slices