Cook It :: Deadliest Catch Crab Cakes

Last night I went to a really cool event at Albert Lee - Keith Colburn from Deadliest Catch was cooking his crab cakes.  Not only that, but every kitchen area was being used by cooks making fabulous food - including chocolate dipped bacon (awesome, salty, sweet, loved it).

Yep - you're reading that right, he called me "the hottest catch"

Keith is a kick and was incredibly informative on crab.  I have a new way to crack crab that looks like it will produce perfect sections.  At least it did when Keith did it - let's see if I can replicate.

His crab cake recipe is below.  It commits my mother's #1 cardinal sin of crab cakes - "do not include ingredients that could overpower the crab flavor."  He uses bell pepper and garlic - and onion!  But they are tasty :)  I've included his recipe here, but also my mom's if you want to go the purist route.

Gwen’s Crab Cakes

These are my mom’s specialty.  Anytime there is fresh crab around we insist she makes her crab cakes.  Over the past few years she’s eaten crab cakes all over the world to figure out the best way to make them full of crab, full of flavor, and not overpowered by one ingredient (unless that ingredient is crab). 

1 pound fresh cracked Dungeness crab

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 egg, beaten

1 cup panko breadcrumbs (available at Asian specialty markets)

2 tablespoons old bay seasoning

½ teaspoon dry mustard

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt and pepper

Butter

Mix together all ingredients except butter and add salt and pepper to taste.  Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Form crab mixture into patties.  Place patties in preheated pan and cook about 3 minutes on each side until cakes are golden on all sides and warm throughout. 

Thanks to Albert Lee for a great night!