Seafood

Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade

Oh crab cakes…how I both love and hate thee.  As I mentioned last week when I posted this shrimp recipe, it took me a while to eat crab.  I wanted to like crab cakes but each time I tried them, I couldn’t get past the fishiness.  Well, now I’m completely hooked and eat them pretty often so I officially love them.  What I hate about them is making them at home.  Does anyone else struggle with crab cakes like me?  It never fails, but my crab cakes always fall apart, no matter if I follow the recipe to a tee.  Argh!  Some of these Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade fell apart but they were awesome regardless.

Crab meat is made tasty with bell pepper, scallions, egg, panko, and mayonnaise before being cooked in a little bit of oil until golden and crispy.  A creamy remoulade of mayo is spiced up with cayenne pepper which is not only fantastic with these crab cakes, but also with anything else you want to add a little zing to.  Even though I expressed quite a few expletives as I made these crab cakes and vowed never to try to make them at home again, it all subsided once I took my first bite.  These crab cakes are light and full of flavor, thanks mostly to the scallions, and the spicy sauce is a perfect little addition. I’d love to make these again but I guess next time I’ll do some yoga, drink some tea, or meditate a bit before attempting to flip crab cakes again.

If you like this, also check out Crab Cakes with Spicy Mustard Sauce.

DSC04926

To prepare crab cakes, drain crabmeat on several layers of paper towels. Combine crabmeat, bell pepper, and the next 4 ingredients (through egg), tossing gently. Stir in 1/4 cup panko. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in a shallow dish.

DSC04921

Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape 4 portions into 3/4-inch-thick patties; dredge in panko.

DSC04922

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add dredged patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with the remaining crab mixture, panko, and oil.

DSC04923

DSC04924

To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients; serve with crab cakes.

DSC04925

DSC04927

Additions:  None

Omissions:

  • Capers
  • Tarragon

Substitutions:

  • Light mayonnaise

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Citrus-Glazed Shrimp

You are witnessing my first attempt at ever making shrimp. As you may know, I’m not the biggest seafood fan. I’ve grown to love crab cakes and like some mild fish but I’ve been trying to like shrimp for a very, very long time. So far, I like the kind in restaurants that is batter dipped and fried (of course). But I’ve also had jumbo shrimp cocktail that I enjoyed also. So why is it that I’m struggling liking these little crustaceans any other time? I’ve been gathering shrimp recipes for a while now but could never pull the trigger at making them. Finally, I decided it was time to give these Citrus-Glazed Shrimp a try.

Uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp are mixed with garlic, lime, chipotle chile powder, salt and pepper and sautéed until pink and cooked through. Fresh lime juice and butter are added creating a silky, citrusy glaze. The garlic and lime add a fresh tone to these shrimp and the chipotle gives them the slightest kick. These guys have tons of flavor and were a good start at me becoming more comfortable with shrimp. I have to admit that I didn’t eat all of these and still struggle with the texture of shrimp. But I think I’m getting there slowly but surely. If you like shrimp even a little, I bet you’ll love these.

DSC04947

Combine shrimp, garlic, lime rind, 1/4 teaspoon salt, chile powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl, tossing to coat shrimp.

DSC04942

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes.

DSC04944

DSC04945

Stir in lime juice and butter; cook 1 minute, tossing to coat.

DSC04946

Remove from pan.

DSC04948

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Cajun Hot Crab Dip

You know when you want to make a dish for a get-together and you don’t really have much time to get something made?  That’s when I turn to dips.  Whether you want a cold dip or a hot dip, they generally take the same amount of time to make (since cold dips need time in the fridge for the flavors to meld).  What’s especially great about dips is all the ingredients can usually be mixed together in one bowl and while it’s either chilling or baking, you can take care of whatever else needs to be done before the event.  This Cajun Hot Crab Dip is a warm, comforting dip which is perfect for any shindig.

Crab, shallots, garlic, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning and water are blended before being added to more crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese and lemon.  A crunchy topping of panko and chives (which I added later so it isn’t in the pics) gives this low-calorie dip a crunchy final coating.  Before buying Cajun seasoning, take a look online for homemade recipes because you might have everything you already need without adding another spice bottle in your cabinet.  Try this dip on baguette slices or with pita or pretzel chips.  One of my friends said this dip tastes like a crab cake so if you like crab cakes, you’ll probably like this.

DSC04212

The ingredients:

DSC04206

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and coat pan with cooking spray.  Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

DSC04207

Place 1 cup crab in a food processor.  Add the shallot mixture, 1/4 cup water, pepper sauce, and Cajun seasoning to crab; process until smooth.

DSC04208

Spoon mixture into a large bowl, and stir in remaining crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese, red pepper, salt and pepper.

DSC04209

DSC04210

Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart glass or ceramic casserole dish coated lightly with cooking spray.  Combine panko and chives in a small bowl; sprinkle over crab mixture.  Coat panko mixture with cooking spray. Bake at in a preheated 450°F oven for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving as this dip will be very hot.

DSC04211

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Light mayonnaise

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

1 2
Blog at WordPress.com.
%d bloggers like this: