Victoria’s Crab Cakes

Victoria’s Crab Cakes

INGREDIENTS

1 Pound Lump Crabmeat

½ Stick Unsalted Butter (Divided – 1 Tablespoon & 3 Tablespoon)

½ Cup Chopped Shallots

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

2 Large Eggs

1 ½ Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 Teaspoon Paprika

½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 Teaspoon Tartar Sauce

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

¼ Teaspoon Tabasco Sauce

2 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

2 Cup Cubed White Bread (About 4 Slices)

2/3 Cup Bread Crumbs

Pick through crab to remove any bits of shell.  Try not to break up the lumps of crabmeat as you pick through.  Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and a half of teaspoon of salt.  Cook until the shallots are translucent (about 2 minutes).  Do not brown.  Let the shallots cool.  Whisk together the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, remaining half teaspoon of salt, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, tartar sauce, lemon zest, Tabasco, parsley and the cooked shallots.  Gently fold in the crabmeat and bread cubes, taking care to not break up the lumps of crab meat.  The mixture will be very wet.  Using your hands, take a scoop of the crab mixture and gently form into a patty form about 2 ¼ inches across and ¾ inches thick.  Continue until you’ve made 12 crab cake patties.  Line a rimmed tray and a piece of wax paper just large enough to hold the cakes and sprinkle the bottom of the tray with half of the bread crumbs.  Set the crab cakes in one layer on the top of the layer of bread crumbs and sprinkle them with the remaining bread crumbs.  Cover the crab cakes loosely with another sheet of wax paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  The butter will melt and foam up.  When the foam subsides, working in batches, place the crab cakes in the pan.  Make sure not to crowd the pan.  Cook until golden brown – for about 3 minutes on each side. 

Remove from skillet and serve.  Makes about 12 crab cakes