Description
The amount of bread crumbs you add will depend on the crabmeat’s juiciness. Start with the smallest amount, and add more after adding the egg only if the cakes won’t hold together. If you can’t find fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, pasteurized crabmeat, though not as good, is a decent substitute. Either a nonstick or a traditional skillet will work for this recipe, but a nonstick simplifies cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over to remove cartilage and shell fragments
- 4 scallions, green parts only, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, or basil
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2-4 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- Salt and ground white pepper
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- Lemon wedges
- 1 recipe Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce (page 44l)
- 1 recipe Creamy Chipotle Chile Sauce (recipe follows)
Method
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently mix crabmeat, scallions, parsley, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, and Old Bay in medium bowl, being careful not to break up crab lumps. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg with rubber spatula until mixture just clings together. If cakes don’t bind, add more bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they do.
- Divide crab mixture into 4 portions and shape each portion into fat, round cake, about 3 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Lightly dredge cakes in flour.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Gently lay floured cakes in skillet and cook until exteriors are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side