Crab Cakes
We’re having work done around our “not the beach house.” Reluctantly, these are big-ticket maintenance projects. It is painful, but it’s the ongoing cost of owning an older home.
They don’t tell you on closing day, but if you live somewhere long enough, you’ll address some of the same updates two and three times over. It seems like yesterday that we put in a new furnace. And now we’re doing it again?!
Besides the hit to our finances, we’re not looking forward to the upheaval. Moving out of certain rooms, construction workers in and out all day long, and a yard torn up by heavy equipment.
At least we don’t have to clean for a while. I imagine when it’s all over we’ll be chomping at the bit to scrub every nook and cranny. Spring cleaning if you will.
The definition of spring cleaning has changed over the course of my lifetime. Growing up, it was all-skate. Not just Mom and Dad; my brother, sisters, and I each had assignments. Everything, and I mean everything, was dismantled, cleaned, and put back exactly as it was. Curtains and drapes were washed and pressed. Walls were swabbed. Carpets were steamed.
I can’t say we’re quite that thorough these days. Although we do occasionally move furniture and take beds apart. It’s not unlike us to scream “we live like pigs” when we see a fluffle of dust bunnies lurking behind a headboard.
People compliment us on how clean our house is, for which I take no credit. My husband is amazing. I’m more of a clean-adjacent kind of guy. The essence is all that matters to me. I guess you could say my technique is literally sweep it under the carpet. Which is another reason I love to entertain by candlelight. It’s not just about softening wrinkles.
I do rock cleaning of my car. One of the best tips I ever learned was to not only vacuum, but to first blow your car out with a leaf blower! It’s a crazy good thing. It pushes out a ton of dust, dog hair, and sand.
This month I’m highlighting a simple but delicious recipe you can pop in the oven when you’re done with your day of spring cleaning...my crab cakes. Put your feet up with a glass of wine and enjoy. Just be sure you’ve shed your dirty shoes.
Everyone in Delmarva has a favorite crab cake recipe. I’ve tried many. This is my riff on the best of them. They are consistently tender and decadent.
Let’s get started, shall we?
STEPS
1. Mix the following in a medium bowl:
• one large egg
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1-2 green onions chopped, both white and some green parts
• 1 tsp seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay (optional)
2. Gently fold in 1 pound of fresh lump crabmeat and ⅔ cup crumbs made from buttery crackers, such as Ritz (approximately 17).
3. Using a half-cup measure, make six mounds on a greased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least eight hours, or preferably overnight.
4. Bring cakes to room temperature for 30 minutes and heat your oven to 450°.
5. Brush cakes with 2 Tbl melted butter.
6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are browned and cakes register 165°. If desired, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice before serving with tartar sauce.
TIPS
• Add Old Bay sparingly. Too much will hide the other wonderful, but subtle flavors. I skip it altogether.
• You needn’t buy crab any bigger than lump. In fact, I find that size just right for the proportions of the other ingredients.
• Don’t skip the 8-to-24-hour chilling. It sets up the cakes and melds their flavors.
• Don’t skip brushing with butter. It adds the rich restaurant-style finish. ▼
Ed and his husband Jerry split their time between homes near Harrisburg Pennsylvania and Bethany Beach. Ed builds websites to pay the bills but loves to cook, garden, hike, and dote on their dog Atticus. Recipe requests and feedback welcome: ed@seasalttable.com.