This Betty’s Crab Cake Recipe using Trader Joe’s Crab

I love crab cakes. They are expensive whether you buy them at the store or order them out. This is not your traditional Maryland style crab cake recipe. This is a very savory rendition that will allow you to add much flavor to canned crab, crab in the freezer case, or in the refrigerated case. I tend to use a lot of Penzey’s Spices. If you don’t have a location near you they take orders online. Their stuff is high quality and their stores are awesome. You can actually go into the store and sniff each and every spice they have. It’s also worth it to be on their mailing list. If you aren’t using Penzey’s, then by all means substitute what you can. I’ve included fresh and dry measurements so depending on what you have available so you can switch things out.

This Betty’s Crab Cakes adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 stalks of celery diced or 4 Tbsp dehydrated celery like Penzeys (rehydrated with 4 Tbsp water)

1 small shallot or 1 Tbps Penzeys dried shallot rehydrated with 1 Tbsp water

1 small red pepper diced (1/4 cup)

1 small orange/yellow pepper diced (1/4 cup)

1 heaping Tbsp capers

1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce

1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tsp Old Bay or Penzey’s Chesapeake Bay Seasoning

1 Tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cans of Trader Joe’s Canned Crab, drained and paper removed or 1 package of Trader Joe’s Wild Caught Crab or the equivalent of 8 ounces of crab meat

1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 eggs beaten

2 ounces of butter & 2 tbsp of olive oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in pan until butter is melted.
2. Add celery, peppers, capers, tabasco, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and sautee until vegtables are tender.
3. Remove mixture from pan and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Once at room temperature add crab, mayo, bread crumbs, and eggs:

   

5. Mixed thoroughly to combine:
6. Cover and refrigerated for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 3 hours.
7. In a pan melt butter and olive oil
8. Scoop mixture into pan and sautee about 5 minutes on each side:
9. Flip when under side is brown:
10. Place crab cakes on paper towel to drain:
11. Serve right away and enjoy! Just note that while not obvious on the outside, the quality of the crab you use will make a difference.

    

12. Crab cakes made with Trader Joe’s Wild Caught Crab on the left, crab cakes made with Trader Joe’s canned crab pictured on the right. The quality of crab you use makes a difference.
13. Serve with a salad or as an appetizer.