Crab cakes my way

(Recipe in Italian here) I always wanted to try crab cakes "the American way" (I had already tasted a very spicy version in Thailand, simply fantastic) and I was finally able to eat them in the States in 2006 when my Tarot teacher, Christopher Beaver, made them one evening.
I was staying at his place in Telluride, Colorado, for a Tarot course. He loves to cook for his guests so when he said he was going to make them I jumped up and said 'Yessssss!'. They were really good and since then I simply ADORE them.
Too bad I never wrote down his recipe but I've recently come up with one that was inspired by the incredibly many versions that I've found online.
It's tasty, slightly spicy and quite lemony. In short: great!
I've used crab meat in tins since the fresh one - the very best - is not that easy to find here in Holland (what you can buy here is mostly frozen and often too wet and spongy).

I like to sauté my crab cakes in extra virgin olive oil and I've never tried them - yet - in a deep-fried versione because I don't like the smell of fried food AFTER having enjoyed it - it lingers in the house and sticks to my hair and clothes - but I'm definitely going to try this cooking technique in my professional kitchen one of these days. At least I don't live there and I can use the huge extractor hood to minimize the smell and the smoke. ;)
For the deep fried version I would definitely cover them with Panko, the flaky Japanese breadcrumbs, to make them crunchier. In this sautéed version I use Panko in the crab cakes mixture. Not too much because they're nicer when the mixture is quite moist but just enough to give it a bit more body and texture.

The pictures have been taken with my mobile phone while I was cooking at a friend's garden dinner party and they're not exactly high quality but I think they give a nice idea of how these crab cakes look like.

Crab cakes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

About 600 gr. crab meat, fresh, frozen or tinned
2 medium-sized eggs
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
juice of half a lime
a big bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
a few twigs of fresh thyme
1 or 2 red fresh hot chilli peppers
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 handfuls of Panko breadcrumbs
salt and black pepper
e.v. olive oil

Remove the stem and seeds from the chilli peppers. Chop the cleaned chillies but not too finely, it's nice to see the little red chunks inside the crab cakes.

If you use tinned or frozen crab meat, press it well to squeeze out all the excess juice.

Mix the crab meat with the beaten eggs, the chillies, the finely chopped parsley, the Panko breadcrumbs, the thyme leaves, the grated lemon zest, some lime juice, the mayonnaise and some salt and pepper to taste.
Add a bit more Panko if the mixture is too wet but don't make it too firm either by overadding breadcrumbs.

Shape the mixture into eight patties the size of a small hamburger.

Fry the crab cakes in hot olive oil and serve immediately garnished with sliced lime and fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Frying the crab cakes





Crab cakes and salad, yum!



Three ladies at the table (Saskia's taking photographs), doggies on the side :)

Comments

[fab]

Great :) I love crab cakes too and use a somewhat similar recipe (with some added mustard and spices) but I like the idea of adding lemon zest and lime juice -- will try like this next time.

[Nicoletta]

Hi fab, thanks for your comment, I'll try the mustard too, and a pinch of cayenne, why not? :)))

[Marie]

Hello Nicoletta, I love crab cakes and many times I replace the crab with shrimp, I only use 2 tablespoons of olive oil to brown them, then I finish them off in a 375F oven till cooked through. Sounds like your Colorado trip was fun, that's such a beautiful area.

[Nicoletta]

Hi Marie, I love trhem too and I too brown them in a little olive oil - being used to Souther Italian standards a bit more than two tablespoons ;)
Good idea using the oven after that, I'll try it.
And the Colorado trip was fantastic. Not only for the fantastic Tarot course but also because I fell in love with that state. Since then I ADORE the Rockies and Colorado and dream of having a house there, one day...

[jui]

Delicious.

[Nicoletta]

They are, Jui :)

[Kitchens]

You make all recipes look so simple & all photographs so actual!!! I wish I could have one from my computer screen!!!