TSE's Crab Cakes

Last week, during our temporary snow shutdown here in Atlanta, i made crab cakes paired with an Arugula, Pear & Parmesan salad and posted a photo on Facebook. I received several requests for both recipes, so I thought I'd post it here. The crab cakes are my favorite method (for now) and the salad was on the original menu of NEO at The Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, GA. I really miss that original menu. *sigh*

TSE's Crab Cakes

Ingredients:
1 large egg
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped (I didn't have any this time)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 container Phillips lump crab meat (from Costco)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs/crushed crackers/Panko (I used Lance Captain's Wafers)
Canola oil

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or lightly spray with Pam.

Combine first seven ingredients, then gently incorporate the crab (you want to keep the lumps). Slowly add breadcrumbs--just enough to hold the mixture together.

Form mixture into desired crab cake size (I made 12 minis) and place on cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Heat oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add crab cakes and cook until desired golden hue, flipping once (2-3 minutes per side for minis and 4-6 minutes for larger ones). Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve immediately.

Arugula, Pear and Parmesan Salad

Ingredients:
Arugula
Bosc pear, thinly sliced
Shaved parmesan (use veggie peeler to shave strips)
Extra virgin olive oil, a couple of drizzles--just enough to coat arugula
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine oil, salt and pepper. Add arugula, pear slices, and cheese. Toss to coat. Arrange on plate and top with crab cakes.

You can print both recipes here.

This crab cakes recipe cake about by trial and error. Over the years, I discovered that I prefer crab cakes that don't include ingredients that compete with the sweetness of the crab. This combination is the balance I was seeking.

If you try these recipes, I'd love to hear your feedback.

Sheila Denise

Spring Rolls TSE Style

I've been on a sushi-ish kinda kick for the past few weeks and while scratching that itch, I also stumbled upon some really good spring rolls. I'm sure they're referred to as some other kinda roll as well; however, for today's purpose, I'm calling them spring rolls. The wrappers used to make them are rice wrappers and they're very fragile discs (or squares), that you wet to make them pliable.

Lunch today was sushi from Publix--made while I waited. As as I was enjoying my sushi and praying that the top of my head wouldn't blow off with each bite (I'm an idiot for wasabi) , I decided that dinner would be spring rolls.
I knew that I wanted to include shrimp, Phillips Lump Crab, rice noodles, mango and basil. The more I thought about it the more fillings I wanted to include, so I ended up with the previous five ingredients as well as bean sprouts, jicama and arugula. Now I'm pretty sure arugula is waaaaaay outta place in this scenario, but I didn't have any "regular" greens.

This was my first attempt at making spring rolls and I knew I needed to shut off all outside interference--I was about to get down to business and needed to focus. Turns out I was so darn focused that I left out the rice noodles. After I stood back and admired my not-so-great wrapping work, I looked over on the other counter and saw the noodles!! What's a girl to do?? When the noodles are left out, you use them as a landing strip for the spring rolls, that's what!
I also made a quick peanut sauce with smooth peanut butter (with honey), Sriracha sauce, soy sauce and mango nectar. It's as yummy as it is simple.
The entire process was not as scary as I'd thought and overall, I'm pretty pleased with my first attempt, but as many of us, I want to perfect my rolling skills. These things have more wrinkles than the wrinkly-est Shar Pei. Is there anyone out there who wants to take me under his/her wing before I take a syringe of Botox to these suckers? Anyone???

Sheila Denise

Stacked Crab Salad

I was feeding my electronics habit at COSTCO a couple of days ago and left with a new mini laptop and a container of Phillips Lump Crab Meat. I don't know which excited me more, but I do know that I was on a natural high.

I tossed around the idea of making crab cakes, but decided I wasn't much into sauteeing anything for dinner, so I decided to make crab salad. Then I discovered that I had no crackers or crispy bread sticks in the pantry. So what was a girl to do?? Well, there was bacon and a small piece of iceberg in the fridge and I had tomatoes and an avocado. My meal was coming together!!

I do apologize for not having an actual recipe, but I rarely measure when I'm in my "what-will-I-eat-tonight" mode, but this is what I combined to make the crab salad:

Some crabmeat
A piece of celery, chopped
A piece of red pepper, chopped
A smidge of sour cream (didn't have mayo)
A squeeze of lime
Fresh cracked pepper

Then I began the stack in a large can on a plate. Covered with plastic and placed it in the fridge and allowed it to set for about 30 minutes. I zapped the bacon while the salad chilled and crumbled it and topped the salad. Dinner was served with a couple of drizzles of olive oil.


Sheila Denise