Copyright © Chef Brian 2006

Here is a recipe for Maryland style crab cakes that makes
the absolute best tasting crab cakes I have ever found.

This recipe is used at one of the restaurants I worked at
some time ago. It was a guarded secret until today!

There are very few private recipes that I will let go public
but it's time that everyone needs to have this one. I have
traveled the country trying crab cakes that were supposed to be fantastic by the critics, but none have ever come close to this one.

This is a very simple recipe, as some of the best are, and
can be made in a short amount of time. The dressing gains
flavor over time, 3-5 days, and will keep well if
refrigerated.

Blue crab lump meat is quite pricy and you can get away with just claw meat for this recipe if your budget demands.

I have reduced the recipe to a manageable size, originally
it was for 100, 4 oz. cakes! The restaurant would go through a couple hundred cakes a day. They were the most popular item on the menu. You will find out why when you try them.

Crab cake dressing
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 cups finely ground onion, drained very well

Use food processor to grind onion, let drain in colander for
at least 20 minutes, do not press.
Mix above items together with large wire whip until smooth.

Crab cakes
1 pound blue crab claw meat
1 pound blue crab lump meat
4 ounces cracker crumbs made from saltines
1 1/4 cups dressing, you can add the balance of the dressing prepared above if a moister cake is desired.

Gently mix crab meat, cracker crumbs and dressing together
by hand just enough to fully moisten.

Weigh out 4 ounce portions and hand form into round cakes
about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Wrap in wax paper, 6" squares
will do, and refrigerate for 2 hours before cooking.

Sauté using clarified butter till golden brown on both
sides. (to clarify butter, heat till almost boiling, let set
till it separates. Use the clear portion on top)

Can be served by themselves or as a compliment to a light
flavored fish such as grouper, scamp or tilapia.

Yield: approx. 12-13 cakes.

The last time I checked, blue crab claw meat was $12-$14 a pound and blue crab body lump meat was $18-$20 a pound. And you always wondered why the crab cakes at the
restaurant seemed so small and over priced!

By making these at home the costs will be about $3 each and like I said earlier, these are going to be better than 99% of the restaurants that serve them unless you live on the Chesapeake Bay!

Enjoy! ≈ Chef Brian ≈

Chef Brian's Sausage Rigatoni With Baby Artichokes

1 lb Salmon fillets, trimmed, skin removed, cut diagonally into 2 oz. pieces
1/2 med tomato, ripe, cored, seeded, peeled, diced
3 TBSP butter, unsalted, chilled, cut into pieces
Flour, all purpose
2 TBSP chives, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup butter, clarified
Salt (to taste)
1/4 cup wine, white, dry
Pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup cream, whipping
4 small Broccoli florets
3 Anchovy fillets, chopped -- (garnish)

Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Dip 1 side of each piece
in flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat the clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-
high heat.

Working in batches if necessary, sauté salmon floured side down, shaking the skillet occasionally to break the fish loose of the bottom, until golden ( 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.)

Carefully turn salmon and brown the second side. Transfer
to warm serving plates, blotting up any excess fat from the fish. Keep warm.

Pour off butter from the skillet and add wine, scraping up
any browned bits.

Add cream, anchovies and tomato and boil until very lightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat and swirl in butter, 1 or 2 pieces at a time.

Add chives and adjust seasonings to taste .Pour sauce over
the fish, and garnish with broccoli florets, and serve.

Enjoy!   ≈ Chef Brian ≈

Salmon And Lentils With Cucumber Sauce On Nan Bread