You also can certainly fry these crab cakes in a hot skillet in some vegetable oil, but the oven version is just as good, easier to make and there is no messy, greasy stove to clean up after.
As for the crab meat itself, it all depends on where you live. But I like lump crab that has been shelled, pasteurized and is sold refrigerated in the fish section of my neighborhood grocer. I can be assured of no contamination that way, and it is consistently good. Whatever you do, however, don't buy that crap that comes in a can like tuna. It won't measure up. If you can get fresh crab meat, whether lump, dungeness, king or something else, get it. But it's a lot more work.
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes
8 oz crab meat
1 tbsp mayonnaise
splash Worcestershire sauce
dash Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
½ cup ground fried pork rinds, done in a food processor
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (like, Grey Poupon)
1 finely chopped green onion
2 tbsp minced red bell pepper
2 tbsp minced green bell pepper
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
cooking spray (like, Pam)
Ingredients
For the Remoulade Sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced red or white onion
1 tbsp minced celery
1 finely chopped green onion
1 tsp minced garlic
3 finely chopped cornichons
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp Creole or whole grain mustard
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp ketchup
1 Tsp mayonnaise
½ tsp dried parsley
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
The Recipes
Make the sauce first:
It's easy really. And because you're making a sauce and not baking a cake, you don't have to be exact on all these ingredients. In fact, you may like to add more or less of any ingredient to get the flavor you like best. I generally add a bit more Tabasco or Worcestershire sauces to just about any recipe. If you don't know what a cornichcon is, it's a miniature gherkin pickle. You can find it generally in the pickle section of your grocer. If you can't find, just mince up a tablespoon or two of any sour pickle. Mix all these ingredients, except the vegetable oil in a food processor for thirty seconds. Then add the oil a little at a time until the mixture emulsifies. Add a bit more oil or mayonnaise if the mixture is not smooth enough. The sauce should be of a consistency looser than mayonnaise but stiffer than ketchup and it will get better with age. So, consider making it a day ahead of time, or at least a couple of hours before putting your crab cakes in the oven.
Now, the main event:
Depending on what kind of crab meat you have, be sure to sift through it with your fingers and remove any shells. Ground the fried pork rinds in a food processor until the consistency of bread crumbs and set aside. Next, mix all the ingredients except the pork rinds in a large mixing bowl using a large spoon. Do not mix this in a food processor.
When the crab mixture is well incorporated, add the pork rinds into the mixing bowl a bit at a time until the mixture is no longer loose and balls up into a single mass. Cover this with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the mixture in half or in quarters and form two or four uniform sized patties, depending on the size patty you want. After forming into patties, place on a plate or on a sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate again for another 20-30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Place the patties on a cookie sheet oiled with cooking spray. Also spray a little cooking spray on the tops of the patties. Put in the middle of a 400 degree oven. Bake 35-40 minutes until browned. Serve hot out of the oven with the Remoulade sauce under the crab cakes. Although untested in my kitchen, you can probably do this recipe exactly the same with seasoned bread crumbs instead of pork rinds.
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