GC #37 – Crab Cakes Broiled Maryland Style

Maryland Broiled Crab Cakes

Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab meat is the tastiest in the world (in my opinion) and pretty much a must for those of us living in the mid-Atlantic states.  After years of decline, the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population started to recover in 2010 but suffered a disastrous 60% drop last winter.  The female crab population is strong; it’s the babies that are getting eaten, probably because warmer water is bringing in aggressive, juvenile red drum fish which love crabs.

This recipe is adopted from my favorite fish cook book, The Fish-Lovers’ Cookbook, by Sheryl and Mel London, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pa., 1980.

Ingredients

• 2/3rd cup homemade mayonnaise
• 1 egg white
• 1-2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
• 1 rounded teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons fine, whole grain cracked crumbs
• 1 pound crab meat (pick over for shells and break up if you have the lump meat)
• 2/3rd or so cup of dry, whole wheat unflavored bread crumbs.
• 4 tablespoons of melted butter

Preparation

• Add the cracker crumbs, parsley, mustard and cayenne pepper to the crab meat and mix well.
• Using your fingers as a rake, gently mix in the mayonnaise and egg white.
• Wet your fingers slightly and shape into twelve equal sized balls and roll in bread crumbs.
• Flatten the balls slightly and make sure they are entirely covered with bread crumbs.
• At this point, you can put them in the refrigerator and broil later.
• When you are ready to broil, put the crab cakes on broiling pan, brush on a generous amount of butter, and broil until brown.
• Turn the cakes once and broil on the other side until brown.
• Serve with fresh lemon and melted butter and lemon.