I'm from the northern Gulf Coast - we eat crabs boiled/steamed or, fried if'n soft. Although after a respite at The Hopkins John in the early 70's, well - I learnt cakes.

Several years, and inches on my beltline later - I was instructed you could still have crab cakes without the melted butter, whole eggs and fresh mayonnaise all the Smith Island recipes I was given had in 'em.

The following was given me by Mz Jean Brody, and it actually tastes good. Careful with the bread crumbs tho, and use only the best:

CRAB CAKES LITE:
Printer version of this recipe

3 tbsp butter (gasp) or (yuck) margarine
     - if you're going to use this buy the good stuff...
2 or 3 tbsp minced shallots/green onion
same minced bell pepper - red if they're cheap enough
1 tbsp tarragon vinegar
1 lb + LUMP crabmeat - and not that Dungeness crap
2-3 tbsp lemon juice - fresh squeezed
2 egg whites - whisk lightly just prior to adding
1 tbsp (yuck) reduced fat (I won't even consider the non-fat kind) mayo
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsely - more if not fresh (freeze dried is best)
Tabasco to taste....you DON'T want to know how much I use....
Salt - don't need this if you use enough Tabasco
Fresh ground cracked pepper
1 cup more or less good quality bread crumbs - unseasoned
     (this is about the only time I recognize the un-seasoned kind)
and some oil - olive is best, about 2 tsp.

1. Melt a little of the butter in skillet, saute vegetables
2. Add vinegar, heat until evaporated and take skillet off heat to cool
3. Put crabmeat in bowl, sprinke with lemon, vegetable mixture, stir in egg whites, mayo, parsely, spices & Tabasco
4. COVER AND CHILL FOR AN HOUR OR BETTER- TWO.
5. Then, moisten your hands and mash the mixture into equal size cakes (should be about 8 when you're done), and UNLIKE meatloaf, don't add bread crumbs until you have problem getting it to stick - if adequately chilled it'll hold together and you only have to use the crumbs to coat the outside - if they don't stick together, add crumbs and mix like a meat loaf, but you've ruined it (see step #4 to fix next time you try this) 6. Take excess crumbs and throw away.

Ok, now you have crab cakes....raw crab cakes....what next?

Get a skillet or griddle big enough for all eight, heat olive oil and rest of butter (should be 1/2 to 2/3 of what you started with), if iron skillit/griddle - no hotter than medium low and get fully hot first. Cook no more than 4 minutes per side. Should be golden brown and you should salivate. Only three out of four ever make it to the table.

Hints: Buy only the best quality, lump crabmeat, and be SURE to chill the meat for an hour or two before attempting to build this thing - what with the reduced fat & filler, nothing is there to hold it together but the temperature..

- Je't'aime touts -
Andrew

To: anglican@list.stsams.org
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004
Subject: Recope - CrabCakes Light (was : Speaking of crabs..)
From: Andrew H. Auld