Cajun Crab Cakes…Get You Some, Chere!!

I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but the Law family meals start leaning a little heavy on the Cajun side.  It is crawfish season, that definitely has something to do with it!  The days are longer, and not yet sweltering hot, and everything is greener…especially the produce at the grocery store.  When I start seeing the vegetable variety perk up, the colors turn vibrant, and the herbs start sprouting in my garden…I think it just sparks something in me that craves the bold, spicy flavor of my Cajun heritage.  Whatever the reason, whatever the cause, I’m bringing on the heat and serving up the flavors of Louisiana…Sugar Magnolia style!!

If you’ve never had Louisiana crab cakes, you’re in for a treat!  I honestly didn’t realize there was any other way to prepare crab cakes until one summer, about 10 years ago, I ordered crab cakes while at a restaurant in central Florida.  Now, if you’re from Florida please don’t get all worked up…maybe it was just that particular restaurant…but, UGH!! I had no idea that crab could taste bad! I mean, seriously.  They had no flavor, no pizzazz, no spice!

For those sadly misguided people who think that Cajun cuisine is simply about burning your tongue to cinders with loads of cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce, please stop making “Cajun” recipes that you’ve found in magazines, newspapers, and yes, even online.  Unless, of course, the source of that recipe is a reputable Louisianian…born and raised!  Yes, Cajun food does tend to be spicy, but the spiciness should NEVER overpower the flavor of the food itself!!  True Cajun flavor not only comes from the spices used, but the fresh aromatics (the ‘Holy Trinity’ of vegetables), the fresh herbs, and (as often as you can get it) fresh seafood.

So; tell your taste buds to get ready, because Cajun Crab Cakes are so good they’ll go into shock if they aren’t prepared!!

Cajun Crab Cakes with Spicy Tartar Sauce…

Rather than use bread crumbs for this recipe, I like to slowly toast white bread in the oven at a very low temperature, until it is completely stale.  I put the bread in before I start anything else, and by the time I’m ready to mix everything together, the bread is ready.

Annalise was in the kitchen trying to snatch my veggies before I could saute them…that little monkey has a strange (albeit wonderful) love of raw sweet peppers and onions!

So, while your bread is drying out, begin chopping your vegetables.

  {I actually prefer to use 1 bunch of green onions (scallions) for this recipe, but I had used all that I had already and I didn’t want to go back to the store.  I think the green onions add a fresher taste, and I love the extra green color…}

Along with your peppers and onion, mince 2 cloves of garlic and saute everything over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften.  I like to add seasoning to the vegetables as they cook, I think it enhances the flavor of the vegetables and adds some depth to the spices.

  Any Cajun/Creole seasoning will do, I just prefer Tony’s since I think most of my family was weaned on it, heeheehee.  The amount of seasoning depends on you…add more if you want it spicier.  However, the more seasoning you add, the saltier it will be.

  I realize that this is very specific, but I have a good reason.  I hate Tabasco sauce, I don’t care for the flavor (if there is any).  The fact of the matter is, Louisiana Hot Sauce (the one with the red dot on the label)  is more prevalent in Louisiana…except in the tourist areas.  So, you can use Tabasco if you want to…I’m just going to be very disappointed in you. 

Okay, I have to apologize here, because for some unknown reason I didn’t take a picture of the most important part of this recipe. I guess I was distracted (I have no idea how that could happen…yeah, right).  Anyway, this next step is crucial…this is what separates the Sugar Magnolia recipe from all the other random crab cake recipes out there (Cajun or otherwise)!!  Instead of adding mayo, like most crab cake recipes, I add 8 ounces of cream cheese.  The cream cheese adds a mellow, silky texture to the finished cake and keeps it from drying out during cooking.

So, when vegetables start to turn translucent, add in your block of cream cheese (cut into 6 pieces), along with 1 TBL of Worcestershire sauce, and the juice of 1 large lemon.

By now your bread should be ready to use.

Add the vegetable, spices, and cream cheese mixture to your bread cubes.  To this mixture, add 1/4 cut fresh chopped Italian parsley and two large eggs, and combine thoroughly, using your hands to ensure that everything is fully mixed.  Set this aside for a few moments while you carefully remove any stray shell pieces from your lump crabmeat.

Now, carefully fold in the lump crabmeat, again using your hands.   You want to be very gentle so that you won’t break up the lumps of crabmeat.  These cakes should never be minced together like fishsticks…you pay a premium for lump crabmeat, keep it that way!

Once everything is fully mixed, you’re ready to fry these beauties!!  You can make the cakes whatever size you want to, I like my crab cakes big…more like crab patties.  I actually told the monkeys that I was making “Crabby Patties”, like on Spongebob Squarepants.  I’m so stinkin’ cool.

Lightly dredge each side in breadcrumbs, I like the Progresso Italian breadcrumbs, and place carefully into a preheated skillet with 2 TBL of hot vegetable oil.

Before you start shoving these bad boys in your mouth, how about making an easy little dipping sauce to really send the flavor soaring…

 Spicy Tartar Sauce…

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish

juice of 1 large lemon

2 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce

1 tsp.  Tony’s

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, twigs removed and leaves chopped

• Just mix all the ingredients together and chill.  Serve either alongside or atop your crab cake, with a sprig of fresh thyme for pretty presentation.

Now, you’re ready to go eat ‘em up, chère!!  Bon Appétit!!

  That is why you want those lumps to STAY lumps!