Crab Cakes By Michael Recipes

CRAB CAKES CHIARELLO WITH SHAVED FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive mixing bowl combine the bread, mayonnaise, egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, chive, mustard, hot red pepper sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let rest for about 15 minutes to soften the bread. With a spatula gently fold in the crabmeat so as not to break up the meat.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Using your hands form the cakes about 6 ounces each. Do not form them too tightly or they will not bake properly.
• Brush a baking tray with butter or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place the crab cakes, evenly spaced on the tray. Melt the butter and combine with the crab boil seasoning. Brush the tops of the cakes with half the spiced butter and bake on the top shelf of oven for about 12 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Using a mandolin slice the fennel very thin. Combine with the lemon juice, olive oil, remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, salt, and pepper. Spread the fennel salad on a large platter and place the crab cakes on top. Serve with the second half of the spiced butter on the side for dipping.

MARYLAND CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Clean the crabmeat of all shell fragments without breaking or crumbling the delicate lumps.
• Place the bread in a food processor and, using the metal blade, process until finely crumbled. Measure and reserve 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs to use in the filling. The remaining bread crumbs will be used to coat the crab cakes.
• Mix the crabmeat with the sweet peppers, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro leaves, and mayonnaise. Add the "Old Bay" seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix well, then refrigerate for twenty minutes before continuing.
• Cover a work surface with waxed paper sprinkled with the reserved bread crumbs. Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, form eight equal-size portions of crabmeat. With the palm of your hand pat each portion into a disk-shaped cake approximately 3/4-inch thick. It is important for the crab cakes to be the same thickness so that they will cook uniformly. Press each cake into the bread crumbs, turning them so they coat evenly on all sides. Refrigerate for at least an hour to prevent them from crumbling during cooking.
• No more than half an hour before you plan to serve the crab cakes, add enough oil to cover the bottom of an oven-proof saute pan. Heat until just before it begins to smoke. Add the crab cakes gently, being careful not to crowd the pan. (Cook them in two batches if necessary.) When the crab cakes are well browned on both sides, place in a 375 degree F. oven for six minutes to ensure that they are fully cooked and hot at the center. Serve with mesclun salad, chili mayonnaise and garnish with finely chopped tomato.

CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Heat the broiler to 500 degrees (or its highest setting). On your oven's highest rack, broil all the bread slices on a baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp but not burned. Flip all the slices over and broil for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the broiler off and allow the bread to crisp in the oven until totally dry, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let cool. Using a box grater or rolling pin, coarsely grate and crush the bread slices into bread crumbs (or, pulse them in a food processor). The crumbs should look and feel like sand; you should get about 4 cups. Set the bread crumbs aside.
• In a large cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the butter and onion into a large bowl. Whisk the flour into the melted butter and onion, then slowly whisk in the milk to make a creamy sauce. Once the sauce is smooth, whisk in the eggs, lemon juice, vinegar and mace.
• Add the crab meat to the cream sauce and mix lightly with a fork; don't break up the pieces of crab meat. Gently fold in just enough of the bread crumbs so that the mixture holds together (about 2 1/2 cups). Divide the crab mixture into 12 equal portions, setting them on a baking sheet as you go. They should be thick rounds - about the size of the palm of your hand, and roughly 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Using your hand, take a scoop of the toasted bread crumbs and coat each crab cake.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over high. Once the oil is hot, place a few of the crab cakes in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Place the cooked crab cakes on a paper towel to drain. Working in batches, cook the remaining crab cakes, adding more oil as needed.
• Serve crab cakes immediately, or set aside in a warm oven (see Tip) while you cook the remaining crab cakes.

CRAB CAKES BY MICHAEL

Steps:

• Beat eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, chives, seafood seasoning, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Gently stir crabmeat into the egg mixture. Fold crushed crackers into the crab mixture in small amounts just until the mixture holds together. Divide the mixture into 3-ounce patties.
• Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in hot oil until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.