Description
Ina Garten’s crab cakes deliver coastal Maryland flavors with perfect golden-brown crusts and delicate seafood essence. Succulent lump crab meat blends seamlessly with fresh herbs, creating an elegant appetizer that home cooks can easily prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 0.5 lb (226 g) lump crabmeat, drained and checked for shells
- 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise
- 0.5 cup plain dry bread crumbs
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 4 tbsps unsalted butter
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 0.25 cup olive oil
- 1.5 cups finely chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
- 0.75 cup finely chopped red onion (about 1 small onion)
- 0.5 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- 0.5 cup finely chopped yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
- 0.25 cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 tsps Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp capers, drained
- 0.25 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 0.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 tsps Old Bay Seasoning
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Aromatic Base Creation: Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté onions, celery, bell peppers, parsley, capers, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper until vegetables turn tender and translucent, about 15-20 minutes. Cool the mixture completely.
- Mixture Preparation: In a large bowl, gently combine lump crabmeat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and eggs. Fold in the cooled vegetable mixture, ensuring minimal disruption to the crabmeat’s delicate texture.
- Chilling and Shaping: Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to stabilize consistency. Form compact, uniform cakes using light pressure to maintain structural integrity.
- Crispy Transformation: Heat remaining butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes for 4-5 minutes per side until achieving a golden-brown, crispy exterior.
- Serving Finale: Drain cakes on paper towels to remove excess oil. Optionally, maintain warmth in a 250°F oven until serving time.
Notes
- Prevent Crumbling: Handle crabmeat gently to maintain large, delicate chunks and prevent breaking during mixing, which ensures tender, cohesive crab cakes.
- Chill for Structure: Refrigerating the mixture for 30 minutes helps bind ingredients, making cakes easier to form and preventing them from falling apart during cooking.
- Seasoning Balance: Use fresh ingredients like parsley and capers to enhance flavor complexity, ensuring the vegetable base complements the delicate crab meat.
- Ideal Cooking Temperature: Maintain medium heat to achieve a perfectly golden-brown crispy exterior without burning or drying out the delicate crab cakes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg