Dungeness crab was the first type of shellfish to be harvested along the US North Pacific coast, and it remains an important product and a much-used ingredient in local cooking. It got its name from a small fishing village, Dungeness, located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington where the first commercial fishing was done for this species. The Dungeness crab fishery is said to be the oldest known shellfish fishery of the North Pacific coast. The flesh of this particular crab has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor. Dungeness crab cakes are an especially popular appetizer or light meal, though the meat also is used in salads, casseroles, and dips. Crab cakes are usually mildly seasoned to allow the flavor of the crab meat to dominate.
Recipe Servings: 8
+ 3 hours resting
Ingredients
- 1 lb dungeness crab meat
- 1 cup dry breadcrumbs, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp mustard
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup butter, divided
Directions
- Pick through the crab meat to remove any cartilage or bits of shell.
- Combine meat with ½ cup of breadcrumbs, heavy cream, egg, onion, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper, mixing until just combined.
- Form mixture into eight equal cakes about a ½-inch thick.
- Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper.
- Mound remaining breadcrumbs on a clean work surface. Coat cakes lightly with breadcrumbs and transfer to baking sheet.
- Cover the cakes with waxed paper and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a nonstick pan until very hot, but do not allow fat to smoke.
- Add a few crab cakes, working in batches, and fry them for about 4 minutes per side, until golden. Add butter to the pan as needed.
- Serve immediately.
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