Crab cakes are for sure one of America’s most famous dishes. Honestly, I never heard of it before coming to the States. Last summer I made them for my parents while I was on vacation in Italy and they, as well, have never had it before. Actually, they were a bit confused and my mother literally told me, “I am not really sure what I am eating.”
It’s a staple in every steakhouse or seafood restaurant. When you are on vacation at the beach, you find it on every restaurant menu and they are really a must-have.
Although they don’t require many ingredients, if you are making this dish at home, they can get pretty pricey. Good quality canned crab is not cheap. I guess getting whole crabs to cook and clean may be cheaper but please, be my guests, it is not something I am interested in doing. It is very time-consuming and the yield from each crab is very little. I usually buy canned crab at the store or online from Vital Choice which, as you may know, is one of my partners for my social media video.
I like to eat crab cakes with a tangy tartar sauce, but I have seen it served with lemon aioli, spicy mayo, and even cocktail sauce. My favorite side dish to go with is coleslaw or, why not, some cajun spiced fries. On a hot summer day, I would pair it with a crisp sauvignon blanc or a wheat beer.
Buon appetito!
Crab Cakes
Ingredients
Crab Cakes
- 1 lbs crab meat
- ½ cup celery small diced
- ¼ cup celery leaves finely chopped
- 1 cup red onions small diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup mayo
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ cup crackers crumbled
- 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- The zest of one lemon
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 yolks
- caviar to garnish optional
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 1 cup mayo
- ½ cup pickles small diced
- ½ cup capers finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crab meat, parsley, celery leaves, paprika, cumin, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, hot sauce, crackers, mustard, and mayo. Mix to incorporate. Taste for seasoning. Add the yolks. Fold the cooled sauteed vegetables into the crab mixture. Mix again and set the mixture aside.
- Portion the filling into 1/3 cup balls. Form the balls into patties, about 1-inch thick. Pour the remaining olive oil and butter in a sauté pan. Gently lay the cakes in the oil and fry for 4 minutes on each side.
- For the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
