Little Crab Cakes Herby Tartare Recipes

MARYLAND CRAB CAKES WITH QUICK TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
• Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
• Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve the crab cakes warm with the tartar sauce.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The crab cakes can be formed, covered, and refrigerated a day ahead of time before cooking. The tartar sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.
• Note: If you can only find jumbo lump crab meat, you may need to break the pieces up a bit. If the clumps are too large, the crab cakes won't hold together well.
• Note: The nutritional information does not include the tartar sauce.

CRISPY CRAB CAKES WITH TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the tartar sauce: Mix the mayonnaise, pickles, scallions, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a medium bowl until combined. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
• Meanwhile, make the crab cakes: Mix the mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, lemon juice and Old Bay in a large bowl until combined. Add the panko and mix again. Add the crab and mix, taking care not to crush the meat. Shape the crab mixture into 8 patties, each about 3 inches in diameter. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a brown paper bag or a double layer of paper towels. Pour enough vegetable oil into a large skillet to come 1/2 inch up the side and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Add the crab cakes in batches and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the cakes and continue cooking until golden, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the crab cakes to the lined baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining cakes. Serve hot with the tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

DELMARVA CRAB CAKES WITH CUCUMBER TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce:
• In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber with the salt. Let stand about 1 hour. Transfer to a sieve and rinse well under cold running water. Pat the cucumber dry.
• In a small bowl, mix the drained cucumber, mayonnaise, scallion, capers, and anchovy paste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The tartar sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.)
• To make the crab cakes:
• Mix the 1/2 cup bread crumbs, the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, scallion, Worcestershire sauce, and Delmarva or Old Bay seasoning. Mix in the crabmeat with wet hands, form into 6 cakes about 3 inches wide. Place the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in a deep plate. Coat the crab cakes in the crumbs and set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Into a large deep skillet (preferably cast iron), pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch, and heat over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Carefully add the crab cakes and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to the paper towels to drain. Serve hot, with the tartar sauce on the side.
• To make Delmarva Seasoning: Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground celery seed, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Will keep indefinitely in a tightly covered container in a cool, dark place. Makes about 3 tablespoons.