Florida Crab Cakes Food

THE ULTIMATE CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Make the crab cakes first so they have time to firm up in the refrigerator before you cook them.
• Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion gets kind of caramelized. Dump that into a bowl and fold in the crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg white, lime juice, and cilantro, mixing just until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes. Put them on a plate, cover, and stick them in the refrigerator to chill.
• To serve, heat a 3-count of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes each side until nice and crisp. Serve on torn butcher paper with fresh lemon wedges and Garlic Aioli with Celery Root.
• Mince garlic and make into paste using the side of your knife. Hint: to make this go faster add a bit of salt to the garlic and continue mashing with the side of your knife.
• Place the paste in a large bowl and add: the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery seed, lemon juice, and oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the shredded celery root and chives. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

FLORIDA CRAB CAKES WITH AVOCADO BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, parsley, dijon, green onion, 2 tsp lime juice, chili and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until combined.
• Mix in egg into breadcrumb mixture.
• Fold in crabmeat in to the breadcrumb mixture.
• Form into 8 patties. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a food processor, add avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
• In skillet melt butter and fry cakes in batches until golden brown. About 2-3 minutes per side.
• Transfer cakes to paper towel to drain.
• Arrange 2 cakes on 4 plates and put a dollop of avocado butter on top of each.

FLORIDA CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Combine first 9 ingredients in bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Mix in egg.
• For mixture into 8 equal patties, using scant ¼ cup for each.
• (can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated).
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Fry cakes in batches until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Transfer cakes to paper towels; drain.
• Arrange 2 cakes on each of 4 plates.
• Top with Avocado 'Butter' and serve with toast points.

RED BAR CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• To bind the crabmeat, melt 6 tbsp of butter and cook the onions, peppers, and garlic until transparent.
• Add remaining butter till melted on low heat.
• Add flour. Mix well with butter and vegetables until it becomes a light roux.
• Add cream, mustard, basil, garlic powder and thyme. Leave on low heat, stirring frequently unitl very thick. Cool the sauce at room temperature.
• Take the crabmeat, mix the sauce with the bread crumbs until you get a dough. Make 3-ounce patties (make sure they're neither sticky nor dry). Refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• To cook, in 3 tbsp olive oil, sear the crab cakes, lightly dipped in flour and fry to a golden brown.
• Try a lemon beurre blanc or roasted peppers sauce for drizzling over the top.

CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Place crab meat, bread, cayenne and herbs into bowl and combine.
• In another bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, egg and additional yolk.
• Season with pepper to taste.
• Slowly pour dressing into the crab meat mixture, using a fork to gently lift and fluff the texture.
• Use only enough liquid to cause the mixture to just cling together; don't overwork.
• Form into cake about 3 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch high.
• Lay onto plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour, until firmed up.
• To get superfine cracker crumbs and breadcrumbs, whir everything up in a food processor.
• Before cooking, dip cakes into cracker crumbs to coat.
• This prevents the crab meat edges from getting tough and chewy when sauteeing.
• Heat butter in frying pan until foamy.
• Add crab cakes, and let saute until browned on the bottom.
• Turn them just once, and brown the other side.
• Keep warm until all cakes have been sauteed.
• Arrange on platter with wedges of lemon.
• Please note that I served these on top of a bed of MEAN CHEF's Texas Caviar from the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant (#27742).
• the flavors melded together perfectly, although you may want to make sure to not go overboard on the jalapenos, so as not to overwhelm the crabcake.

FLORIDA CRAB CAKES WITH AVOCADO BUTTER

Steps:

• Pick over the crab meat and gently combine in bowl with egg, parsley, scallion, mustard, Worcestershire, hot pepper, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, juice of one lime, pepper and salt.
• Shape into 24 small patties and saute in hot oil in nonstick skillet until brown on both sides. Handle and turn gently so that crab cakes do not fall apart. Cakes will cook in two or three minutes.
• In food processor, process avocado and 2 tablespoons lime juice until smooth. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• When crab cakes are cooked, arrange on toast; top with a large dab of avocado butter and serve.

MACADAMIA NUT CRUSTED CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Pick through the crabmeat to remove any bits of cartilage or shell.
• Drain well.
• In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat and the next seven ingredients.
• Mix well and let stand for 30 minutes for the flavor to blend.
• Place the flour in one bowl, the eggs in another and the bread crumbs mixed with the Macadamia nuts in a third bowl.
• Divide the crab mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a patty about 1/2 inch thick.
• (the mixture is light and will separated but don't despair, keep pressing each patty firmly together).
• Dip each patty into the flour to coat.
• Next dip into the beaten eggs and then roll carefully in the crumb mixture to cover well.
• Place on a plate and allow to air dry for 30 minutes.
• In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Cook the patties without crowding in the pan until desired browness, turning once.
• This may have to be done in batches.
• Watch the heat, and reduce if necessary, as the nuts will tend to brown more quickly than the crumbs.
• It usually takes about 3 minutes on each side to reach a golden brown and cook through.
• Serve with"Black Bean Relish" (recipe posted separately).