Crabby Patty Cakes

not-so-crabby crabby patties

While making clam chowder a few days ago, I used Old Bay to give it that classic, seafood flavor. And it struck me: what else can I make with this awesome but under-used seasoning? Then I took a closer look at that little yellow tin, and printed on the side was a recipe for crab cakes. A-ha!

I know it probably seems like a weird time of year for crab cakes – something I picture eating along with fried clams and hot dogs at a seafood shack not trimming the tree in your reindeer sweater – but, why not? It’s a nice change of pace from the figgy pudding or whatever holiday foods you might be eating.

This recipe is based on Old Bay’s, but I added a few things of my own and used less of some. I also whipped up a quick tartar sauce for dipping, which made these light, fluffy and flavorful cakes even better.

Crab Cakes
– 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
– 1/3 cup of finely diced leeks
– 4 slices of white bread
– 8 oz of crabmeat, chopped
– 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayo
– 1 egg, beaten
– 2 (heaping) teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning
– 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
– Olive oil
– Unsalted butter
– Pepper
– Vegetable oil (for frying)

In a small pan, heat some olive oil and butter on medium. Add the celery and leeks and cook until soft. Pulse the bread in food processor until they turn into crumbs. Then in a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, crab, mayo, celery, onions and lemon juice. Season with Old Bay and pepper.

Heat a tablespoon or so of vegetable oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Form the crab mixture into patties and fry until golden brown on both sides and are cooked through. Let them cool on a paper towel-lined plate, then eat.

tartar sauce'd

For homemade tarter sauce, combine 2 parts mayo, 1 part dill relish, a bit of lemon juice and season to taste with Old Bay and pepper. Makes for a nice summertime treat on a wintery day.

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