Crab meat is one of the most succulent and delicious varieties of all the available meats in the world. In fact, it’s near the very top of many of the world’s finest Chefs and Food Critics’ list.
Crabs are high in protein and are also a good source of niacin, vitamin B12, chromium, selenium, iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Crab meat is also very low in saturated fat as well.
Crabs are much more versatile than most people realize. They can be steamed or boiled, or made into crab cakes. They are also great in soups, chowders, stews, casseroles, and other wonderful dishes.
However, there is one style of cooking crab that is as drenched in the essence of Americana as Cowboy Hats and Chaps, the Crab Cake.
A Crab Cake is a variety of fish cake that is extremely popular in the United States. It is composed of crab meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, milk, mayonnaise, eggs, and seasoning.
Occasionally, other ingredients are added, such as red or green peppers or sliced pimientos (and rarely, yellow onions). The cake is then sautéed, baked, grilled or, the most popular choice, broiled, and then served.
Crab cakes are particularly popular along the coast of the Mid Atlantic Coast. They can also be commonly found in New England, the Gulf Coast, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Pacific coast, where the crabbing industry thrives.
While meat from any species of crab may be used, the Blue Crab, whose native habitat includes the Chesapeake Bay, is the traditional choice and generally considered to be the best tasting. These crabs are incredibly sweet—and many aficionados prefer them to any other type of crab.
Here’s a quick and easy recipe of the Classic American Blue Crab Cakes that will explode your mouth with flavours like the fireworks of the 4th of July.
Ingredients
- 3 spring onions
- ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 750 g cooked Licious Blue Crab Meat
- 300 g mashed potatoes
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 egg
- Plain flour, for dusting
- Olive oil
- Tartar sauce
Method
- Trim and finely chop the spring onions, and pick and finely chop the parsley. Beat the egg.
- Combine the Licious Blue Crab Meat, potatoes, onion, parsley, pepper, cayenne and egg in a bowl with a little sea salt.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then shape into 6cm cakes.
- Dust with flour and shallow-fry in oil over a medium heat for about 5 minutes each side or until golden-brown.
- Serve with a dollop of tartar sauce.
So go on, grab your crab from Licious and do your hunger some justice, the American Way.