Category: Seafood

Crab Cakes

Crab CakesCrab cakes are one of my favorite special occasions dinners. My family makes them most years for our meatless Christmas Eve dinner, and I made them for my husband one Valentines Day. When I was planning a bridal shower luncheon for my seafood-loving best friend, I knew immediately that these crab cakes would be on the menu. Not only are they delicious, but the creole meuniere sauce elevates them to another level.

Recipe Note: The below recipe for Creole Meuniere Sauce is half of the original recipe. I’ve even gone so far as to make half of the recipe listed below. The sauce is amazing but very rich, and a little bit goes a long way.

Crab Cakes with Creole Meuniere Sauce

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse (here and here)

Makes 10 crab cakes

Ingredients for the Crab Cakes:

  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 c. diced yellow onions
  • 1/2 c. diced celery
  • 1/2 c. diced bell peppers
  • 1 Tbs. minced garlic
  • 1 lb. lump crab meat, drained and cleaned
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
  • 2 Tbs. dijon mustard
  • 1/2 c. mayonaisse
  • 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce1/2 c. chopped scallions
  • 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs, divided
  • 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbs. water
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 3 tsp. Emeril’s creole seasoning (recipe below)

Ingredients for the Creole Meuniere Sauce:

  • 1/2 c. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 c. chopped yellow onions
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 lemon, peeled with pith discarded and quartered
  • 1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into dice
  • 1/4 tsp. Emeril’s creole seasoning (recipe below)
  • scallions, chopped (for garnish)

Ingredients for Emeril’s Creole Seasoning:

  • 2 1/2 Tbs. paprika
  • 2 Tbs. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbs. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbs. black pepper
  • 1 Tbs. onion powder
  • 1 Tbs. cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tbs. dried leaf oregano
  • 1 Tbs. dried thyme

Make the Crab Cakes: Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onions, celery and bell peppers, sauteing until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While vegetables are cooling, combine mustard, mayo, Tabasco, and Worstershire in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine crab meat and lemon juice. Fold in cooled vegetables, scallions, and parsley. Fold in mayo mixture as well as 1/2 c. bread crumbs and 1 tsp. creole seasoning.

Take 3 shallow bowls and prep the breading. In the first bowl, combine flour and 1 tsp. creole seasoning. In the second bowl, combine egg and water. In the final bowl, combine remaining 1 c. bread crumbs with 1 tsp. creole seasoning.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Use a 1/3 cup measuring scoop, portion crab mixture into 10 equal portions, patting each to 1-inch thick cakes. Dip first in flour mixture, then in egg mixture, and finally in bread crumb mixture. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.

Allow to drain slightly on a paper towel-lined plate before serving with creole meuniere sauce. If preparing ahead of time, crab cakes can be warmed in an oven.

Make the Creole Meuniere Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine Worcestershire sauce, onion, bay leaves, and lemon. When mixture starts to warm, mash lemons with the back of a wooden spoon to release the juices. Bring to a boil

Reduce heat and simmer until thick. Whisk in cream. Then whisk in butter, a little bit at a time. Finally, stir in creole seasoning. Strain through a find mesh sieve. Garnish with scallions and serve over crab cakes.

Make the Creole Seasoning: Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Shake well. Yields 1/2 cup.

Seared Scallops

I’ve really been craving scallops lately. I’ve been drooling over googlereader recipes, pinning new recipes… I just can’t stop thinking about them. I was going to splurge on them for dinner one night a couple of weeks ago – when I was home alone, drinking a citrus martini and blogging – but I completely forgot to get them at the grocery store. There was no way I was going back to get them – the store was particularly crowded and had a short power outage which added to the madness. Last week, with my hubby out of town, I indulged with two of my besties. A light, tasty meal, a little wine… it was the perfect way to break up the week.

This was the first time I’ve ever made scallops and it was a great success. I did make sure all of the ingredients were prepped beforehand, which helped ensure that the scallops were cooked properly. In fact, the scallops were cooked perfectly. Melt in your mouth perfectly. The herb-butter sauce gave the dish an indulgence I don’t often find in quick-cooking meals, making these scallops great for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.

I still haven’t satisfied my scallop craving, so you might be seeing another recipe or two over the next couple of weeks.

Serve with a couscous and  side salad for dinner, or for an appetizer. I served Pinot Grigio with this dish but you can also try a Oregon Pinot Gris per Fine Cooking‘s recommendation.

Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

Adapted from Fine Cooking No. 72 (p. 49)

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. large sea scallops
  • 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbs. finely diced shallots (from 1 medium-sized shallot)
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine
  • 1/4 c. finely chopped mixed fresh herbs (i.e. 1/8 c. chopped parsley and 1/8 c. chopped chives)
  • 1/4 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1/2 a lemon)
  • lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Scallops: If scallops don’t come with the muscle removed, remove the muscle from the side of each scallop. Rinse under cold water to remove any grit and pat dry with paper towels. If desired, cut scallops in half (mine were huge – I cut them in half so that the portions didn’t look so tiny). Set aside.
  2. Mise en Place: If you haven’t prepped your ingredients – chopped and measured your herbs, zested your lemon, etc. – do so now. The scallops cook very quickly – you want to make sure your ingredients are ready to go so that you don’t overcook the scallops or burn the herb-butter sauce.
  3. Cook the Scallops: Heat a 10-12 in. skillet (I used a cast-iron one) over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs. butter and olive oil, heating until hot and starting to sizzle. Check scallops and pat dry again, if necessary. Season with a little salt and pepper and place in pan in a single layer. Cook 2-4 minutes per side, until browned and crisp. Flip and cook another 2-4 minutes. Move to a clean plate set near the stove to keep warm.
  4. Make the Pan Sauce: Lower heat to medium and add 1/2 Tbs. butter. Once melted, add shallots, cooking until soft, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced by half, another minute or two. Use a wooden spoon to get up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add herbs, lemon zest, and remaining butter, cut into 3-4 pieces. Whisk until butter is melted.
  5. Finishing Up & Serve: Return scallops to pan. Using tongs or spoon, toss scallops to coat in sauce.  When scallops are warmed through, remove and serve immediately, with lemon wedges if desired.

Crab Dip with a Kick

I don’t like football, so the Super Bowl is not very exciting for me. I’ll go to the party, book in hand, and will read if I can’t convince someone to sit on the sidelines and chat. However, I can’t complain too much, it gave me the perfect excuse to make crab dip again.

I found this recipe late last year and immediately loved it. It is thick with a pound of lump crab meat and freshly grated pepper jack cheese, which gave it just a little bit of a kick. If you don’t like the extra spicy, I’m sure a mozzarella or other melty cheese would work just fine.

Crab Dip with a Kick

Adapted from Paula Deen’s Hot Crab Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
  • 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 3/4 c. mayonnaise
  • 1/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan, divided
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
  3. Pour into an oven-safe bowl, sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs. Parmesan, and cook for 40 minutes, until hot throughout and slightly browned on top.

Serve hot with fresh bread, crackers, or tortilla chips

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Save

Birthday Menu & Shrimp-Mango Salad

A while ago, I received a copy of Williams Sonoma’s Cooking for Friends as a gift. Every month or so, I take out the book and look through it, my mouth watering at the delicious-sounding recipes and the incredible photos. However, some of the recipes are a little fancier than my crowd is used to, so alas, I never got around to making any.

For my birthday last month, I decided to raise the bar and fancied-things up, to include a recipe from this cookbook. Hubby and I had about 20 people over the house for cocktails. I went all out and made two birthday cakes (I couldn’t decide which I wanted more and the vote to my friends was split), a cocktail, and three appetizers. Here’s what the menu included:

Amaretto Sour with Prosecco
Almond Cake with Raspberry Layers & Amaretto Buttercream
Toffee Brownie Torte
Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms
Shrimp-Mango Salad
Baked Fontina & French Bread

I was excited to try the shrimp-mango salad – a little fancier than the usual appetizer and elegantly served in these mini-martini glasses. Neither me nor my guests were disappointed. It was nice and light, tangy and sweet, the perfect addition to our cocktail party.

Modifications: I used all shrimp instead of a combination of shrimp and crab, as reflected in the recipe below. I skipped the avocado because mine didn’t ripen in time (plus allergies).

Shrimp-Mango Salad

Adapted from Shrimp, Crab and Avocado Salad in

Williams Sonoma’s Cooking for Friends (p. 62)

Makes 12+ servings in mini-martini glasses

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. cooked fresh shrimp, diced (or combination of fresh cooked crab and shrimp)
  • 1 mango, diced
  • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 c. fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 c. cilantro, minced (plus sprigs for garnish)
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • sea salt
  • ground black pepper
  • 1/2 head butter lettuce, shredded
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • lime wedges

In a medium bowl, toss the mango, olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and shallot until mango is coated. Season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp (and crab), tossing until coated.

In your serving glasses, line the bottom with some of the butter lettuce, followed by the mango-shrimp mixture. Top with avocado (I would have tossed it in with the mango and shrimp at the last minute) and garnish with lime slices and sprigs of cilantro.