Saffron Salmons Dungeness Crab Cakes Food

PACIFIC NW CIOPPINO WITH ROCKFISH, SALMON, MUSSELS AND DUNGENESS CRAB CAKE

Steps:

• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the clarified butter; once hot, add the salmon and rockfish and cook 1 minute 30 seconds per side, reducing heat if necessary to avoid burning. Working quickly, add the white wine and mussels and cover the pan. Check mussels after 1 minute to see if they have opened, then cover and continue to cook for another minute if not. Uncover and add Cioppino. Cook until sauce is warm through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, topped with Crab Cake and garnished with parsley.
• Heat an 8- to 10-quart stockpot over medium heat; add the oil. Add the carrot, celery and onion and stir to coat in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked through but not falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic puree, oregano, chile flakes, fennel seed, marjoram and thyme, and stir to coat; cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add clam broth, diced tomato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine, basil, sugar, red wine vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon juice and bay leaves. Stir well to combine. Turn the heat down to low when it starts to bubble. Simmer, stirring occasionally so the bottom of the stockpot does not scorch, for 2 hours. Can be served immediately, or cooled completely and refrigerated to use within 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat; add the butter and onions. Sweat the onions until translucent in color and soft but not falling apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine the red pepper, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning, hot sauce, eggs and the cooled onions in a large mixing bowl; stir to combine. Gently, working with your hands, mix in Dungeness crab and then 1/2 cup panko. Don't overwork the mixture; you want it to still have larger pieces of crab intact. Refrigerate 10 to 20 minutes.
• Portion the mixture into 3-ounce balls and roll them in a bowl containing the remaining 1 cup panko. Shape the cakes using either a 2-inch ring mold or by hand by sprinkling about 1 tablespoon panko onto a clean work surface and gently pressing the ball into a cake shape. Sprinkle a small amount of panko on top of the crab cake and gently press it into the cake. Press in the sides of the cake to repair any cracks or tears so it does not fall apart during the cooking process. (You can make the cakes up to 24 hours ahead of when you plan on cooking and serving. They hold well refrigerated in an airtight container with parchment paper in between them if you are going to stack them.)
• Deep fry crab cakes in canola oil at 350 degrees F until crispy and golden brown, about 2 minutes, or pan-fry in about 1/2 inch oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. You can also cook on a griddle or in a saute pan on medium to medium-high heat in about a teaspoon of cooking oil or butter each until a golden brown crust develops, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

DUNGENESS CRAB BISQUE

Steps:

• Remove the claws from the crabs and quarter the bodies. Heat a 6-quart stockpot. Add the oil and saute the crab pieces until they are red. Remove the pieces as they are cooked. Add the carrot, celery, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and tarragon and continue to saute for 10 minutes. Pour in the cognac and ignite. When the flame has subsided, deglaze with white wine, and add the tomato paste, crab, and enough fish stock to cover. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, and bay leaf and boil gently for 15 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, reduce the cream by half. Remove the crab bodies from the pot and set aside. Add the reduced cream to the soup. Puree the soup, in batches, in a food processor. Strain the pureed soup and keep warm.
• Remove the meat from the claws and cut into bite-size pieces and add to the soup. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve in heated soup bowls and garnish with minced chives or parsley.

MEXICAN CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• In a very large stockpot, bring about 6 quarts water to a boil. Plunge the crabs headfirst into the water, and cook for 12 minutes from the time the water returns to the boil. Remove the crabs with tongs and set aside. When cool, remove the triangular belly flap on the underside and discard. Turn crab over and starting from rear of crab, pull firmly to lift off top shell, and discard. Pull off and discard the spongy fingers from the body and the tiny paddles from the front. Scoop out the orange crab butter and, if desired, reserve for another use. Cut the body into quarters and pick the crabmeat from inside, using a small fork or a metal pick, and reserve. Twist the claws and legs off of the body. Crack the claws and legs along the edges of the shells, using a heavy nutcracker or a small hammer. Pick the crabmeat from the claws and legs, and reserve.
• Try to keep the crabmeat in fairly large chunks, but make sure you get all of it.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the sour cream, diced poblano and yellow peppers, celery, salt, and pepper. Toss together until well mixed. Add the crab, shredding it into approximately 3/4 inch chunks, and the bread crumbs. Mix together gently but thoroughly.
• Divide the mixture into 12 cakes, shaping them into patties about 3/4 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter. Refrigerate them on a large plate, loosely covered, for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat. Saute 6 crab cakes at a time, for about 3 minutes on each side, being very careful when you turn them so that they do not fall apart. They should be golden brown on each side. Place the cooked crab cakes on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm while you add the remaining butter and oil to the pan and saute the other six crab cakes in the same way.

PIER 23 DUNGENESS CRAB CAKE

Steps:

• For the pickled celery: Stir together the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Add celery sticks, as many as can be covered with the solution. Cover and let cool 1 hour.
• For the crab cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl add hot sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest and juice. Mix thoroughly. Add scallion, parsley and 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled celery (save the remainder for another use). Mix to incorporate. Add 1/2 cup panko. Mix.
• Add 1 pound crab meat, being careful not to break apart too much.
• Place the egg white and remaining 1/2 pound crab meat into a blender. Blend on high, until a smooth paste is achieved. Transfer to the bowl with the crab mixture.
• Mix to incorporate all. (Mixture should hold together when squeezed in hand. If very wet, add more panko.) Divide evenly into four portions and form into patties. Gently coat in the remaining panko. Set aside until ready to cook.
• Heat oil in an oven-safe saute pan until hot. Carefully add crab cakes to pan. Sear until well browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and sear other side, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Transfer pan to oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place crab cakes on a paper towel-lined plate.
• In mixing bowl, mix lettuces and Pepitas with champagne vinaigrette. Spoon 2 tablespoons Mustard Crema onto a serving plate. Divide salad among plates.
• Top each with crab cakes. Serve with lemon wedges.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with oil and salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Mix mascarpone, mustard and lemon zest and juice in a bowl until well mixed. Thin with heavy cream until desired consistency. (It should be spreadable and smooth.) Season with salt to taste. Reserve cold until ready to serve.