In March of last year, the NY Times published a crab cake recipe 
from the Upperline restaurant in New Orleans.  This during the 
veritable Jubilee we had after Katrina & Rita when crab meat was 
plentiful and relatively cheap, at least by local standards for 
blue crab.  

This recipe is for pan-fried cakes, topped with a beurre blanc 
made with Crystal hot sauce, not Tabasco (one of the few times 
I'd recommend something other, as Tabasco is too hot for the 
butter) and uses mashed potatoes as the binder. You want the 
mashed potatoes sticky - leftover ones are good.

The original recipe as printed in the Times served the crab 
cakes on some sauteed spinach, I prefer fried collard greens 
if you can get them.

CRAB CAKES WITH CRYSTAL BEURRE BLANC 
Adapted from Ken Smith & The New York Times 
Time: 50 minutes plus 60 minutes' chilling 
Printer version of this recipe 

For the crab cakes: 
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat 
1/2 cup chopped scallion 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon sea salt 
1/4 cup mashed potatoes 

For the Crystal beurre blanc: 
6 tablespoons Crystal or Louisiana God 
    or other Louisiana-style hot sauce (not Tabasco) 
1 large lemon, peeled, pith removed, and halved 
2 tablespoons white wine 
1/4 cup heavy cream 
3/4 pound butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 
Salt 

For breading and frying the crab cakes: 
2 cups all-purpose flour 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
3 large eggs 
2/3 cup milk 
2 cups fine dry bread crumbs 
Vegetable oil, as needed.  I don't like using olive oil for 
crab as it doesn't cook hot enough and it seems the crab soaks 
up the oil too much. 

1. Combine all ingredients for crab cakes. Gently mix to combine. 
Using an ice cream scoop, make 8 balls and 
   place on a baking sheet or large plate. 
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
(If crab is truly fresh, you can do this the day before.) 

2. Beurre blanc: In a small saucepan, combine hot sauce, 
   lemon and wine. 
Bring to boil over high heat, then simmer until reduced 
    by a third, about 3 to 4 minutes. 
Add cream and again reduce by a third, about 5 minutes. 

Lower heat and whisk in butter a few pieces at a time, 
making sure each addition is incorporated before adding next. 
Pour sauce through a fine-mesh strainer and add salt to taste. 
If desired, keep warm over a double-boiler. 

4. Now to fry: Line up three shallow bowls as follows:

Bowl 1 - flour seasoned w/salt & pepper in one 
    and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
Bowl 2 - eggs and milk in the whisked until mixed. 
Bowl 3 - bread crumbs. 

Pat crab cakes into thick disks, like hockey pucks and dip each into 
flour mixture, then egg mixture, then roll in bread crumbs. 
Set on a plate and chill for 30 minutes.
 
Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat.  

Pour in enough oil to come 1/2 inch up side of pan. 
When oil shimmers, add crab cakes.  
Cook, turning once, until light golden brown on both sides, 
   about 2 minutes a side. 
Transfer to paper towels to drain. 

6. To serve, place a mound of spinach or flash-fried collards 
and pour sauce around them. If desired, serve with more hot sauce. 

This worked great when I tried it, 
although I like shrimp burgers better.

Andrew H. Auld
Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2007 
To: anglican@stsams.org
Subject: [Anglican] Further to Crab Cakes [recipe]