Maryland Crusted Crab Cakes with Sweet Pepper Sauce

Maryland Crusted Crab Cakes with Sweet Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

Crusted Crab Cakes:

1/3 cup pecan halves

1 slice firm textured white bread, torn

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk

4 ounces (1/4 pound) lump crab meat

1 tablespoon minced chives

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Sweet Pepper Sauce:

1 large red bell pepper (1/2 pound, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and cayenne, to taste

Directions:

Place pecans and torn bread in a blender or small food processor. Pulse until pecans are finely chopped and bread is crumbly.

In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and egg yolk; blend well. Add crab and chives; stir gently to mix, breaking up large lumps. Stir in 6 tablespoons of pecan-bread crumbs.

Place remaining crumbs on a plate. Form crab mixture into 4 cakes, about 2 inches in diameter. Dredge crab cakes in crumbs, pressing gently to help mixture adhere.

In a medium skillet (preferably one that is nonstick), melt butter over a medium-low heat. Add crab cakes, cover pan and sauté , turning over once, about 5 minutes total, until they are hot in center and nicely browned on both sides.

To serve, spoon pepper sauce onto 2 salad plates. Place 2 crab cakes on each plate. Garnish with whole chives and lemon wedges

Sweet Pepper Sauce:

Place bell pepper, olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat 20 minutes.

Let cool slightly, then puree pepper and any remaining liquid in a blender food processor until as smooth as possible. Season with remaining vinegar, salt and cayenne to taste.

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serves 2

Chesapeake Bay Pan Fried Soft Shell Crabs

Chesapeake Bay Pan Fried Soft Shell Crabs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups saltine cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 soft-shell crabs


Directions:

In a shallow dish, stir the flour together with the oregano, salt and pepper. In a second dish, mix together milk and eggs.

Add cracker crumbs to garlic, and process until crumbs are ground fine. Transfer crumbs to another dish. In a large, heavy skillet, warm the butter and oil together over medium-high heat.

Dip each crab lightly first in the flour, next in the egg mixture, and then in the cracker crumbs. Add the crabs to the skillet, in two batches, if necessary, and pan-fry them 6 to 8 minutes, turning them once.

Drain crabs, and serve immediately.