Philly Food And Brews

I’ve always been looking for a good crab cake recipe, but they never seem to have the right consistency or the filling-to-crab ratio is far too high. You don’t want to end up with breadcrumb-cakes or your crab cake falling apart in the pan. I think I found the solution in the below recipe from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook by Toni Tipton-Martin. There was enough filling to bind the crab but enough crab to be considered a crab cake. However, I thought they could’ve used a little more flavor. I suggest doubling up on the cayenne and adding garlic powder and/or smoked paprika to the mix. Garlic belongs in everything.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1 pound lump crabmeat
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, for serving

PROCESS:

Stir together the mayo, mustard, parsley, green onions, cayenne, salt, and eggs until combined. Stir in half (1/4 cup) of the bread crumbs. Then, add the crabmeat. Distribute into golf ball sized portions and flatten with a spatula. Coat with remaining bread crumbs and refrigerate.

Heat approximately 1 inch of oil in a skillet, preferably cast iron, to 350°. Fry in batches 2 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pan to maintain the oil temperature. Drain on wire racks for maximum crispiness.