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Crab Cakes: Classic Maryland Crab Cakes

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Fried" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Don't ask me why Marylanders have a special way with crab cakes, but I suspect it has lots to do with handling them as little as possible (the less you mix the crabmeat, the lighter the cakes), using minimum breading, and frying the cakes briefly in nothing but butter. Whatever the secret, I've eaten the specialty from Baltimore to Grasonville to Annapolis, studied the various formulas and techniques, and concluded, all modesty aside, that this is the one and only way to produce a genuine Maryland crab cake. You can serve the cakes with a tartar or mustard sauce, but in the final analysis, all they really need is a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 large egg white
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced scallions
â—¦ 3 tablespoons finely crushed soda crackers
â—¦ â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1½ pounds fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
â—¦ ¾ cup fine, dry bread crumbs
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
â—¦ Lemon wedges


Recipe

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, egg white, lemon juice, scallions, cracker crumbs, and cayenne and mix till well blended. Add the crabmeat and toss very gently but thoroughly.

Divide the mixture into four equal portions and gently shape each into a patty. Spread the bread crumbs on a baking sheet and coat the patties lightly but firmly. Chill the patties, covered, for at least 1 hour.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat for 2 minutes, add the crab cakes, and fry till golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.


Makes 4 servings