High Protein Crab Cakes

[gamergirl 4,609]

New recipe on my blog with pictures of finished product as well as a few steps along the way. http://sleevers.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/417/

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. What we love about these crab cakes is that they don’t have fillers, mayo, and other flavor-maskers. A delicate shrimp puree sets up the binding, enhancing the flavor and increasing the Protein content of these little crab cakes.

Normally I try to simplify and/or modify recipes but I mean, it’s Cook’s Illustrated. I know better than to mess with perfection! I did remove a couple of steps that won’t change the flavor significantly, but the proportions are theirs.

Makes 8 crab cakes, 1 per sleever, 2 per non-ops.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
  
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
  
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 4 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
  
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

Method

1. Pulse celery, onion, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer vegetables to large bowl. Rinse processor bowl and blade and reserve.

2. Melt butter in empty skillet over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and all moisture has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Return vegetables to large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Rinse out pan and wipe clean.

3. Pulse shrimp in now-empty food processor until finely ground, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Add cream and pulse to combine, 2 to 4 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer shrimp puree to bowl with cooled vegetables.

4. Add mustard, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning; stir until well combined. Add crabmeat and fold gently with rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix and break up lumps of crabmeat.

5. Divide mixture into 8 balls and firmly press into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Place cakes on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step. They are delicate and hard enough to coat with panko as it is, and putting them in the fridge does help firm them up.

6. Coat each cake in panko, firmly pressing to adhere crumbs to exterior. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 cakes in skillet and cook without moving them until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip cakes, add 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer cakes to platter.

8. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining 4 cakes and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve immediately.

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

These look delicious! Thank you......

[DarnMonica 14]

This sounds really good! I will have to try to make them. Wonder if you can make them without the panko?

Thanks for posting!

[gamergirl 4,609]

This sounds really good! I will have to try to make them. Wonder if you can make them without the panko?

Thanks for posting!

I've been thinking about that a lot since yesterday. I suspect that you could use coconut flour which would get nice and toasty. But it would change the taste I suspect. I've also been thinking of trying one with almond flour. We have four left to cook today and I think I'll try both those options and see how it works.

Any other things you've tried for coating/breading?

[J.Diesel 220]

Sounds amazing...I'll have to try this one too!! Thanks for sharing

[Sleeved in Seattle 280]

I love CI, but the use of heavy cream - do you really think it's necessary?

And GamerGirl, I would happily pay you handsomely to mail me food packages. Do you ever travel to Seattle? I'd set you up in a fully equipped kitchen for as long as I could trap, er I mean, visit with you. :-D

Lisa

[sanks51 214]

I've been thinking about that a lot since yesterday. I suspect that you could use coconut flour which would get nice and toasty. But it would change the taste I suspect. I've also been thinking of trying one with almond flour. We have four left to cook today and I think I'll try both those options and see how it works.

Any other things you've tried for coating/breading?

What about ground almonds.. I use them on my scotch eggs!! Extra Protein too

[gamergirl 4,609]

I love CI, but the use of heavy cream - do you really think it's necessary?

And GamerGirl, I would happily pay you handsomely to mail me food packages. Do you ever travel to Seattle? I'd set you up in a fully equipped kitchen for as long as I could trap, er I mean, visit with you. :-D

Lisa

I do think the cream is necessary, one could try half and half but in each crab cake, there's less than a tablespoon of cream and I can only eat one, so I think it may be worth it.

My husband is from Washington state and so when we go visit his family, we do fly to Seattle and then drive. You could trap me just fine!

[gamergirl 4,609]

What about ground almonds.. I use them on my scotch eggs!! Extra Protein too

My husband cooked the rest while I was working! so I didn't get a chance to try them with different toppings dang it. Oh well, excuse to try them again!

[gamergirl 4,609]

Sounds amazing...I'll have to try this one too!! Thanks for sharing

Good! I posted an ethiopian ground beef one the other day. Today I think I might try either doro wat (ethiopian chicken) or I've really been wanting to do a shrimp cocktail. They are so easy to eat at this point and so protein-y, that I think a fresh tasting one might be nice.

we'll see which one strikes my fancy tonight

[J.Diesel 220]

Good! I posted an ethiopian ground beef one the other day. Today I think I might try either doro wat (ethiopian chicken) or I've really been wanting to do a shrimp cocktail. They are so easy to eat at this point and so protein-y, that I think a fresh tasting one might be nice.

we'll see which one strikes my fancy tonight

I'll look up the ethiopian ground beef, this sounds really good.

You cannot go wrong with shrimp cocktail, like you said fresh and easy.

[Phillys1stlady 32]

New recipe on my blog with pictures of finished product as well as a few steps along the way. http://sleevers.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/417/ Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. What we love about these crab cakes is that they don’t have fillers' date=' mayo, and other flavor-maskers. A delicate shrimp puree sets up the binding, enhancing the flavor and increasing the Protein content of these little crab cakes. Normally I try to simplify and/or modify recipes but I mean, it’s Cook’s Illustrated. I know better than to mess with perfection! I did remove a couple of steps that won’t change the flavor significantly, but the proportions are theirs. Makes 8 crab cakes, 1 per sleever, 2 per non-ops. Ingredients [*']1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over for shells [*]Salt and pepper [*]2 celery ribs, chopped [*]1/2 cup chopped onion [*]1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed [*]1 tbsp unsalted butter [*]4 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed [*]1/4 cup heavy cream [*]2 tsp Dijon mustard [*]1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce [*]1 teaspoon lemon juice [*]1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning [*]1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs [*]4 tablespoons vegetable oil Method 1. Pulse celery, onion, and garlic in food processor until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer vegetables to large bowl. Rinse processor bowl and blade and reserve. 2. Melt butter in empty skillet over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and all moisture has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Return vegetables to large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Rinse out pan and wipe clean. 3. Pulse shrimp in now-empty food processor until finely ground, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Add cream and pulse to combine, 2 to 4 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer shrimp puree to bowl with cooled vegetables. 4. Add mustard, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, and Old Bay seasoning; stir until well combined. Add crabmeat and fold gently with rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix and break up lumps of crabmeat. 5. Divide mixture into 8 balls and firmly press into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Place cakes on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step. They are delicate and hard enough to coat with panko as it is, and putting them in the fridge does help firm them up. 6. Coat each cake in panko, firmly pressing to adhere crumbs to exterior. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place 4 cakes in skillet and cook without moving them until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. 7. Using 2 spatulas, carefully flip cakes, add 1 tablespoon oil, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer cakes to platter. 8. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining 4 cakes and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve immediately.

Thank you...I made them n they were a hit!!!

[gamergirl 4,609]

Thank you...I made them n they were a hit!!!

so glad to hear! Thanks for letting me know

[M2G 1,836]

Yum, crab cakes!!!

I do love crab, just hate having to crack it, LOL. I will sometimes cheat and add albacore tuna or leftover salmon to whatever crab I have. I think crushed almonds (or flour) might be tasty.

[gamergirl 4,609]

Yum, crab cakes!!!

I do love crab, just hate having to crack it, LOL. I will sometimes cheat and add albacore tuna or leftover salmon to whatever crab I have. I think crushed almonds (or flour) might be tasty.

I think my husband bought just the crabmeat. He did ask whether he should go to the asian grocery store and get a live crab but I pretty told him I'd leave him if he did that, so he settled for Central Market instead

I'm such a hypocrite.