Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce
Servings: Makes 6 crab cakes, enough to serve 3 adults as a main course
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRAB CAKES
- 2 large eggs
- 2-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 pound lump crab meat (see note below)
- 1/2 cup panko
- canola oil, for cooking
FOR THE QUICK TARTAR SAUCE
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1-1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE CRAB CAKES
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
- Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
- Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.
FOR THE QUICK TARTAR SAUCE
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Note: If you can only find jumbo lump crab meat, you may need to break the pieces up a bit. If the clumps are too large, the crab cakes won't hold together well.
