When it’s crabbing season, I love these Crab Cakes, which I first tasted in 2000 during an exploratory trip to Louisiana for my cookbook Cajun Creole cooking.
We serve one crab cake as a first course or 2 as a main course. They are also delicious served with a tartar sauce.
You can make a first course of shrimp with the rémoulade sauce. When serving, place lettuce leaves in dessert plates, add cooked shrimp, top with sauce and garnish with a tomato wedge and cucumber slices to taste.
Note: Allow 2 hours of refrigeration before shaping and cooking the patties.
Servings: 8 first course or 4 main dishes
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the flour. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook over very low heat for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to the heat, bring to a boil stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon while simmering. Add paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt.
Pour the sauce into a medium bowl and stir in the crab meat, celery, bell peppers and green onions. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, prepare the rémoulade sauce and reserve.
Form 8 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Coat with breadcrumbs, dip in bowl of beaten eggs and dip again into breadcrumbs.
Preferably in a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat and cook the crab cakes for about 5 minutes on each side until browned on both sides. Do not overcrowd the skillet cook in more than one batch if necessary. Place on absorbent paper to mop up excess fat.
Pour a little rémoulade sauce in a circle on a dessert plate and place the crab cake in the center.
In a bowl, whisk together mustard, paprika, pepper, salt and Tabasco sauce. Stir in vinegar.
Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly. Add the celery, parsley and green onions. Reserve at room temperature.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the flour. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook over very low heat for one minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to the heat, bring to a boil stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon while simmering. Add paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and salt.
Pour the sauce into a medium bowl and stir in the crab meat, celery, bell peppers and green onions. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, prepare the rémoulade sauce and reserve.
Form 8 patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Coat with breadcrumbs, dip in bowl of beaten eggs and dip again into breadcrumbs.
Preferably in a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat and cook the crab cakes for about 5 minutes on each side until browned on both sides. Do not overcrowd the skillet cook in more than one batch if necessary. Place on absorbent paper to mop up excess fat.
Pour a little rémoulade sauce in a circle on a dessert plate and place the crab cake in the center.
In a bowl, whisk together mustard, paprika, pepper, salt and Tabasco sauce. Stir in vinegar.
Gradually add the oil, whisking constantly. Add the celery, parsley and green onions. Reserve at room temperature.
