Dungeness Crabcakes With Green Cocktail Sauce Food

BOILED DUNGENESS CRAB WITH HOMEMADE COCKTAIL SAUCE

Steps:

• For the cocktail sauce: Combine the chili sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Chill until serving.
• For the crab: Drop both whole live crabs in a large pot of salted boiling water. Let cook until the shells turn a bright red, 10 to 15 minutes. Be aware that the meat cooks very fast once exposed to the hot water. Remove the crabs from the water and pull the main shell off. If this is difficult, insert a large knife between the shells in the back of the crab where they meet and pry open. Once the top shell is removed, rinse the crab in the sink, cut in half (from front to back, not side to side) and peel off the gills (which are attached to the bottom portion) and discard. Clean out all entrails and other waste from the top shell portion. Place on a plate with the lemon and lime slices, and place the top shell back on top for presentation. Serve with the cocktail sauce.

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES WITH GREEN COCKTAIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the cocktail sauce: put tomatillos in a food processor; process until coarsely pureed.
• Remove the puree into a sieve; drain off the liquid, and discard.
• Put the drained puree into a small bowl and stir in the vinegar, sugar, Tabasco, garlic, mustard seeds, and horseradish until combined (the cocktail sauce can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator).
• Make the mayonnaise: tear up the white bread and pulse the pieces in a food processor to make fine, soft crumbs (should have about 6 cups crumbs).
• Remove bread crumbs to a shallow pan; mix in ½ cup chopped parsley; set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds, and black pepper; pulse to combine.
• With the motor running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise; remove mayonnaise from the food processor and refrigerate.
• Place crabmeat in a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl; pull the cheesecloth tightly around the crabmeat and squeeze out as much juice as possible.
• Put the chopped onions and bell peppers in a sieve over a bowl and use your hands to squeeze out as much juice as possible.
• In a big bowl, combine the onions and bell peppers with the remaining ¼ cup parsley; add in the chilled mayonnaise and crabmeat; toss lightly to combine.
• Add 1 cup of the breadcrumb mixture and combine.
• Do not overwork the mixture or the crabcakes may get gummy.
• Gently form 8 patties and roll the patties lightly in the remaining breadcrumb mixture.
• Leave the crabcakes in the pan of bread crumbs until you saute them.
• Preheat the oven to 425°; using a nonstick saute pan and butter as needed, panfry the crabcakes, in batches, until golden brown on both sides and place them on a baking sheet as they are browned.
• When all the crabcakes are browned, put them in the oven until they are heated all the way through, 5-8 minutes.
• To plate: serve one crabcake as an appetizer or two as an entree; serve with a ramekin of cocktail sauce and a lemon wedge.
• **Note-the crabcakes actually hold together better if prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator before cooking; store them in the pan of breadcrumbs, covering with plastic wrap.
• Wine suggestion-a lightly oaked Chardonnay.

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Break up the dungeness crab meat.
• Add peppers, celery, scallions, and spices. Add mayonnaise.
• Combine in bowl to form paste, then add eggs and bread crumbs to thicken.
• Form into round crab cakes.
• Deep fry or sauté in olive oil.
• Serve crab cakes with greens and balsamic vinaigrette.

NORTHWEST DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Sauce the onion and celery until the vegetables are very soft but not brown. While they are cooking, heat the milk to a simmer.
• Add the 6 tablespoons flour to the vegetables and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. The mixture will be very thick. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Beat in the salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce and parsley. Spread onto a large baking sheet and cool completely. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the crab meat. Refrigerate until firm.
• Form the mixture into 12 fat, hamburger-shaped cakes. Sprinkle a baking sheet with ½ cup of bread crumbs. Beat the egg with the water in a shallow bowl. Spread the flour and remaining breadcrumbs on separate plates. Coat each cake in flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs and place on the baking sheet.
• Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Without overcrowding, fry the crab cakes until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep the cooked crab cakes warm in a 200 F oven while frying the rest. Serve immediately.