Maryland Crab Cakes
This is a simple adaptation of Maryland’s state dish. If you don’t eat shellfish, you can make these using canned salmon or tuna, instead. If you have leftover crab cakes, put them on a bun or English muffin and make yourself a crab cake sandwich for tomorrow’s lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Old Bay or other seafood seasoning,
- 1/4 lemon juice only, about 1 Tbsp.
- 2 Tbsp. chives or scallions minced
- 1 lb. fresh lump crab meat picked through carefully to remove any shells and cartilage, or use 16 oz. canned tuna or salmon, drained
- 10 - 15 stoned wheat crackers (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed), rushed, or use bread crumbs or panko 1 cup total
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 - 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 cup cocktail sauce store-bought or homemade (see tip below), for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, lemon juice, and chives or scallions.
- Fold in the crab meat and 1/2 cup of the crushed crackers and combine thoroughly.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and with wet hands, form the crab mixture into about 12 cakes, each about 2-inches wide and 1/2-inch high. Press them together firmly, but don’t mash them.
- Using your hands, sprinkle and press the remaining crackers into the cakes to form a crust. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes – 12 hours, if time allows (or at least 10 minutes if you are in a rush).
- When you are ready to cook the crab cakes, heat 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the crab cakes and cook them on each side until well browned, 3 - 5 minutes per side.
- Add the remaining oil and butter to the pan, if necessary, after flipping them. Remove the cakes to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain them. Serve them hot (you can keep them warm in a 300-degree oven, if necessary), with cocktail sauce, if desired.
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Beat and refrigerate the egg, juice the lemon, mince the chives or scallions, make and refrigerate the egg mixture, remove any shells from the crab meat and refrigerate, crush the crackers, fully assemble and refrigerate the crab cakes, prepare and refrigerate the cocktail sauce if making your own.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Double the chives, use seasoned panko, and/or mix 1/2 Tbsp. creamy horseradish or mustard into the egg mixture.
Tip: To make your own cocktail sauce, combine ketchup with creamy horseradish and fresh lemon juice to taste.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values):Calories 180, Total Fat: 10g, 16%; Saturated Fat: 3g, 16%; Cholesterol: 100mg, 34%; Sodium: 340mg, 14%; Total Carbohydrate: 4g, 2%; Dietary Fiber: 0g, 0%; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 14g
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