|
Crab cakes are not part of the traditional Italian American kitchen. Crab cakes did not make a frequent appearance at our table. In our house, we ate crabs whole. In summer crabs were cooked in their shells and served with spaghetti. They were never made into crab cakes. At other times of the year crab cakes, Mrs. Paul’s frozen crab cakes might show up on rare occasion for a Friday night meatless dinner. They always had a side of ketchup or what they called cocktail sauce which was nothing more than ketchup reinforced by horseradish.Mrs.Paul's is Polish.Horseradish is Jewish, Ketchup is American. Crab cakes were not Italian.
Aside from the Friday night frozen variety I remember crab cakes as something exotic, a dish you might have at Bookbinder’s or Walber’s on the Delaware or at Zaberer’s, two very “special event” restaurants in the Philadelphia-South Jersey area.
|
Zaberer's
Christmas Eve Fish Dinner
But let me return to the crab cakes, the sole survivor of American mid-century dining. My mother’s crab cakes were not the frozen variety. My mother made the crab cakes herself. Like the frozen variety my mother coated her crab cakes with traditional bread crumbs. On the version I set out here, I have moved from regular breadcrumbs to Japanese panko. I think panko makes a lighter and crispier crust. My mother would not approve. But, then, while each generation needs to preserve the past, there is always a place for invention. After all, my mother introduced crab cakes into the Christmas Eve fish dinner tradition. And perhaps, for my children, panko will be the tradition they will preserve or possibly replace.
|
Crab Cakes
|
Equipment
Sharp knife Fry pan |
Ingredients
Lump crab meat
Panko (or regular bread crumbs) Mushrooms (optional) Onion or scallions Garlic Parsley Mayonnaise (olive oil based) half cup. Horseradish - two tablespoons/ Dijon mustard - two tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce- a few good shakes Paprika - tablespoon Lemon Egg Butter Vegetable oil for frying (not shown) |
Onions, garlic, parsley
Finely chop the onion, garlic and parsley
|
Mushrooms (optional)
Finely dice the mushrooms. While optional, the mushrooms add a fuller and more complex taste and texture to the crab cakes.
|
Sautée
Lightly sautée the onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter.
|
Crab, mayonnaise and the rest
Put the crab in a large bowl.
Add the bread crumbs and all the other ingredients. Add the sautéed onions. |
Mix
Mix the ingredients slowly,
Do not let the crab break down. You want large chunks. |
Shape and bread
Form the patties gently.
Do not press them. They will be very delicate. Bread the crab cakes. (You can also fry them with no breading at all, but you have to be doubly careful.) |
Fry
Heat oil in a flat fry pan.
Use a spatula to very carefully lower the crab cakes into the oil. Brown for about two minutes on each side. Remember - the crab is already cooked. |
Plate and Serve
