The second source of crab cake ruination is the actual composition of the crab cake itself. I have been served crab cakes where I would swear that the closest any crab ever got to them was waving at the cook from across the kitchen! There should be minimal filler that holds big, succulent lumps of crab in a tender embrace. The butcher at my local market, of all the unexpected places, has actually worked with me to create the most fantastic crab cakes, perfectly seasoned and held together by the merest whisper of filling.

The third thing is how they are cooked. They are fish! They cook in minutes. Don’t burn them!

 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. lump crab meat

1½ lbs. shelled, deveined and cooked shrimp (or 24 oz. frozen)

1 package Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing

1½ cups mayonnaise

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 jar (4oz) pimento, sliced

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of cayenne

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 220 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together.

Spoon mixture into greased baking dish. Bake at 220 degrees F for 1 hour. Raise heat to 350 degrees F and brown top for 5-10 minutes.

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Quick Tip:  Shelling and deveining shrimp is not hard. Turn the shrimp over. See those little wiggly things? Those are legs – pull them off, you barbarian! Now, while you have the shrimp belly-up, run your thumbnail up the middle of the shrimp starting at the tail, and cracking it open. It is very soft there and this isn’t hard to do. Now just peel off the shell. You can either discard the shells or keep them to make stock (just boil them in a little water). While you are there, you might as well remove the tail, unless you want them on for some reason, like you are serving them in a shrimp cocktail. To do this, grasp the tail in one hand and then gently pinch and pull with your other hand, right at the base of the tail. The meat of the tail should slide right out of the tail shell. Now turn the shrimp over. See that black line running down the middle? That is the shrimp’s intestinal tract. It will not kill you to eat this, but it will add a gritty unpleasantness to your shrimp. Take the tip of a paring knife and run it carefully beside that black “vein,” slitting open the outer layer. Now slide your knife under the vein itself and lift and pull it out. You can then use your thumb to scrub out any remnants under running water. Easy!

Recipe and image courtesy of Heather at Heather Bakes