Legal’s crab cakes a versatile treat
We all tend to eat heavier in the winter and lighter in the summer. So right now, with the weather literally running hot and cold, it's an opportune time to highlight food that serves us well no matter the temperature. Crab cakes are not only delicious, but amazingly versatile. We serve them in our restaurants as appetizers, sandwiches or entrees. But they go equally well on salads for a light meal, served with pasta for a hearty dinner or even topped with a sunny-sideup egg for brunch.
We've modified our restaurant recipe for the home chef, and I hope it soon becomes a favorite.
LEGAL CRAB CAKES
4 oz. package Ritz crackers 2 T. butter c. chopped scallions — both white and green parts c. diced celery c. diced red pepeprs 2-3 t. minced garlic
1-2 T. dry white wine
t. Old Bay Seasoning
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley 8 oz. backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 large egg
Salt and freshly milled
black pepper to taste
Place the crackers in a plastic bag and crumble with your hands or with a rolling pin. Put them in a large mixing bowl, and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook the scallions, celery, red peppers and garlic for 5 minutes, or until cooked through but still slightly translucent. Toss with the crackers.
Stir in the wine, Old Bay Seasoning, lemon juice, parsley and crabmeat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Mix in the egg. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Once mix has set, remove from refrigerator and divide mixture into
4 equal portions.
Create crab cake by gently forming with your hands into a loose “ball.” Do not over pack, it should remain loose.
Dust with flour and saute in olive oil or butter until cooked through.
For more great recipes and up-to-the-minute foodie news, check out our Fork Lift food blog at bostonherald.com. There you’ll find “Ciao Italia” host Mary Ann Esposito’s primer on fresh herbs, along with her recipe for Saltimbocca alla Romana, and master chefs Daniel Boulud and Barbara Lynch spill the beans on what they’ve learned from each other, and much more, ahead of their Ment’or benefit dinner tomorrow.