Crabby Crab Cakes

Last summer my mom and I would cook a home cooked meal of my choice every thursday when my step dad was across the lake at his private practice. This summer we decided it would make more sense to cook on Wednesday, the night before Jon is away, so he could actually eat with us. Regardless of the day of the week, this is probably one of my favorite things to do over the summer. My mom and I really get to spend time together, while she can teach me knew things at the same time. Hands down, my mom taught me how to cook. She trusted me in the kitchen at a really young age, and I can't thank her enough for that. She let me bake box cakes and cookies from her warn down recipe collection. She even let me cook the family dinner a couple of times. I just loved serving people, and of course I still do. I think that is why I am so attracted the the culinary industry. I just don't know if I have the balls.... 

Also - sorry it has taken me so long to post this! I misplaced my camera for like two weeks and I had at least 3 blog posts still saved on there that I hadn't uploaded to my computer. I was having palpitations to say the least.... 

Click "read more" for more pictures and the recipe!


Crab Cakes 
This recipe is mildly adapted from Paula Dean

Ingredients 

1 pound crab meat (warning $$$)

½ cup crushed Ritz crackers

3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about half a pepper)

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 egg

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ lemon, juiced

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting

½ cup peanut oil

*Tartar Sauce 

Directions

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, excluding the flour and peanut oil. 

Lightly flour one large plate and somewhat heavily flour a small plate. With your hands, scoop about a palm size of the crab mixture, flatten it lightly with your palms, and then place it on the small plate with the flour. Scoop a generous pinch of the flour and pat it on top of the cake until it is nicely covered and just comes together. Then place the cake on the large, lightly floured plate. 

**Your hands will get really sticky very quickly so I suggest rinsing off your hands in the sink after every crab cake has been shaped. Otherwise you wont be able to form them well and nothing will stick together (other than to your hands). 

When all of the cakes have been shaped, refrigerate for at least an hour. (*optional)

Pour your oil into a cast iron skillet and heat over medium to medium low heat. When you oil is hot, gently place about four cakes in the skillet at a time. Cook on each side for about 2 and a half minutes. (depending on the temp of your oil, it may take a little longer. We started with the oil being too hot, so it didn't take too long for each side to cook) 

Tartar Sauce 

Recipe adapted from a clipping out of an old Martha Stewart Living magazine. This recipe also reminded me that I don't like capers. They're classy, I know - and my mom and step dad thought it was a nice touch, but I could easily do without. 

ingredients adapted from a recipe I found in an old issue of Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients 

1 cup mayonnaise
3 1/2 tablespoons sweet relish

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon drained capers (I would exclude this all together. and the original recipe even called for 3 tbls....)
3 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon
1 teaspoon course salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions - mix together in a bowl and voila!