Today’s Featured Recipe
“I was looking for a recipe to show off my culinary skills to my friend Sheila, who enjoys fish, especially crab. I made a few modifications to this recipe I came across in the newspaper, tracked down some great crab at a local fish market and went to work. I served up the crab cakes with a simple tossed salad and a good white wine. Of course, soft lights and good music don’t hurt either. This recipe will always be associated in my mind with the closeness and excitement of cooking and being together.”—Bill Jones
TARRAGON CRAB CAKES
Herb Sauce
2 Tbsp minced tarragon or other favorite herb
¼ cup reduced fat sour cream (regular also works fine)
2 Tbsp reduced fat (or regular) mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Crab Cakes
1 pound lump crab meat
1 large egg
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp Old Bay ( or any seafood) seasoning
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup reduced fat or regular mayonnaise
3 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ – 1 cup panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work fine)
¼ cup canola oil for frying
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
In a small bowl mix together all the sauce ingredients. Taste and season if necessary and thin with more lemon juice or oil if too thick.
Pick over the crabmeat, checking for any bits of cartilage.
In a large bowl, mix the egg, salt, pepper, Old Bay Seasoning, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and tarragon. Gently fold in the crab meat, making sure not to break the pieces. Add enough panko bread crumbs so the mixture holds together. Shape the mixture into cakes 2 ½ inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick, using about 2 ½ ounces of the mixture for each cake.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the canola oil. Working in batches, fry the crab cakes until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet to a towel-lined plate. You can also broil them.
Serve crab cakes over a bed of mixed greens or spinach and a dollop of the herb sauce.
TIP: You can make the cakes before hand, and individually wrap each cake in waxed paper and freeze.
BILL’S COMMENTS: “Yum, yum”
