Dungeness Crab Cakes

This recipe uses 2 cups of crab - which should yield 8 crab cakes (12 small if serving as appetizers)

1 T butter 1 T olive oil onion, celery		Saute 3 T finely chopped onion and 1/2 cup finely chopped celery until onions become transparent. Cool.
2 c shelled crab		Place crab in large bowl, along with (cooled) onions and celery.
2-3 T fresh parsley 2-3 T capers		Mince together, and add to crab.
1 egg 1/2 c mayonnaise		Whisk egg in small bowl. Add mayonnaise and whisk again. Add to crab mixture.
1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1-2 Tbl fresh lemon juice		Add spices to crab Add lemon juice to crab. Mix all ingredients together well. Can refrigerate (well covered) for a day until cooking.
3/4 c crumbs		With rolling pin, crush soda crackers to make 3/4 cup crumbs. OR use 3/4 cup (purchased) Panko. Sprinkle crumbs on plate, form crab cakes and place on plate. Sprinkle top of cakes with more bread crumbs.
butter olive oil		Heat equal amounts of butter and olive oil in large frying pan. Saute crab cakes until golden. Turn once.

Crab cakes may be individually frozen on cookie sheet, placed between waxed paper and vacuum packed. When thawing, remove from pack while frozen, refrigerate until thawed, and saute.

Note: Excellent used with English muffins, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce as Eggs Benedict for company brunch.

Jackie Johnson