Traditional Crab Cakes 21 Club Food

CLASSIC CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the crab, bread crumbs, egg, mayonnaise, vegetables and seasonings. Shape into 8 patties. Broil or cook patties in a cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet in oil for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. If desired, serve with lemon. Freeze option: Freeze cooled crab cakes in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, reheat crab cakes on a baking sheet in a preheated 325° oven until heated through.

TRADITIONAL CRAB CAKES '21' CLUB

Steps:

• In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté bell peppers until softened. Cool peppers. In a food processor grind bread into fine crumbs.
• In a bowl stir together bell peppers, crab, coriander, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, jalapeño, garlic, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, black pepper, and salt to taste until combined well and chill 20 minutes.
• With a 2-ounce ice-cream scoop or 1/4-cup measure, scoop crab mixture into 8 portions and pat each into 3/4-inch-thick disk. Spread remaining bread crumbs on a sheet of wax paper and gently press each crab cake into them, turning it, to coat evenly. To help prevent crumbling during cooking chill crab cakes, covered loosely, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté half of crab cakes until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn crab cakes carefully and brown other sides. Transfer sautéed crab cakes carefully to a baking sheet. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté remaining crab cakes in same manner. On baking sheet bake all crab cakes 6 minutes, or until heated through.
• Serve crab cakes with mayonnaise.

TRADITIONAL CRAB CAKES - HCG PHASE 2

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a small bowl combine all ingredients and form into small cakes.
• Press crab cakes into muffin tins and bake for 10-20 minutes, until tops are slightly toasted.
• Alternatively, the crab mixture can be sautéed until warm and served over a green salad.

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.

CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Heat the broiler to 500 degrees (or its highest setting). On your oven's highest rack, broil all the bread slices on a baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp but not burned. Flip all the slices over and broil for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the broiler off and allow the bread to crisp in the oven until totally dry, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let cool. Using a box grater or rolling pin, coarsely grate and crush the bread slices into bread crumbs (or, pulse them in a food processor). The crumbs should look and feel like sand; you should get about 4 cups. Set the bread crumbs aside.
• In a large cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the butter and onion into a large bowl. Whisk the flour into the melted butter and onion, then slowly whisk in the milk to make a creamy sauce. Once the sauce is smooth, whisk in the eggs, lemon juice, vinegar and mace.
• Add the crab meat to the cream sauce and mix lightly with a fork; don't break up the pieces of crab meat. Gently fold in just enough of the bread crumbs so that the mixture holds together (about 2 1/2 cups). Divide the crab mixture into 12 equal portions, setting them on a baking sheet as you go. They should be thick rounds - about the size of the palm of your hand, and roughly 1 1/2 inches thick.
• Using your hand, take a scoop of the toasted bread crumbs and coat each crab cake.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over high. Once the oil is hot, place a few of the crab cakes in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Place the cooked crab cakes on a paper towel to drain. Working in batches, cook the remaining crab cakes, adding more oil as needed.
• Serve crab cakes immediately, or set aside in a warm oven (see Tip) while you cook the remaining crab cakes.

'21' CLUB HAMBURGER

Steps:

• Combine the butter, chopped thyme, one tablespoon chopped fresh basil and chopped fresh parsley. Blend well. Place the mixture on a rectangle of waxed paper or aluminum foil and roll it into a sausage shape about one inch in diameter. Place in the freezer for an hour or longer, until it is frozen. This butter may be used a portion at a time and refrozen.
• Preheat a gas or charcoal broiler to high.
• Shape the meat into a round ball without kneading. With the finger, make a partial indentation through the center of the ball. Shove one frozen tablespoon of butter into the center of the ball and press to close the opening. Flatten the meat into a patty shape about three-quarters of an inch thick. Sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the meat on the grill and cook about four minutes until it is well seared on one side; turn the meat and cook about four minutes longer or to the desired degree of doneness.
• Brush the bread slices on one side with one tablespoon of olive oil. Place the slices oiled side down on the grill and cook briefly until lightly toasted. Turn and cook briefly on the second side.
• Meanwhile, as the meat cooks, place the tomato and onion slices in a small bowl and sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons of oil, the lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining tablespoon of chopped fresh basil. Toss briefly.
• Place one slice of the warm grilled bread on a dinner plate, place the hamburger in the center and cover with the second slice of bread. Serve the tomato and onion slices on the side to be added to the hamburger as desired. Serve tomato ketchup only on request. The hamburger is also served with freshly cooked gaufrette potatoes on the side.