Weeknight Crab Cakes

When shopping earlier this week saw that the supermarket had cans of jumbo lump crab meat on sale. Needless to say, I did not hesitate to grab a can for weeknight crab cakes! Very easy to prepare and what an unbelievable flavor. Personally, crab cakes take me through a number of great memories, from crabbing with my father to cooking with my mother and cooking for my friends.

There are a number of different ways to prepare them, but my recipe is based on the classic Old Bay style. I can’t help it – I love the stuff! Contrary to what some may think, the flavor is perfect – not too strong, just enough to bring out the crab. That said, I try to keep the lumps whole and use as little bread crumbs as possible as to not reduce the flavor.

Here is my recipe:
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon OLD BAY® Seasoning
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 pound lump crabmeat
- ½ cup to 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil

Soak the crab in cold water in a large bowl. In another large bowl, beat egg with mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Drain the crab and try to get as much of the water out of it as possible. Add the crab to your egg and spice mixture and gently blend. Slowly add the bread crumbs and mix with your hands until you reach the right balance for a moist cake that still keeps its shape.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the crab cakes and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.

I like to serve them with mashed potatoes and a dipping sauce of ketchup, Old Bay and hot sauce. Play around with the proportions of those to ingredients based on your tastes. Enjoy!