Curried Crab Cakes

Crab is a nutrient powerhouse, containing  loads of necessary vitamins and minerals that all contribute to good overall health.  It is an excellent source of selenium, which helps to keep the thyroid healthy.  There is 3x more selenium found in crab than there is in beef.  Aside from selenium, it is also a great source of B vitamins, protein and omega 3 fatty acids, all of which make for a healthy diet.  If possible, it is recommended to eat crab at least twice a week, although it can be pricey, and is often considered a luxury food, which might make it more difficult to eat that often.  I love crab, and can enjoy it any way it is cooked, but I admit that we don’t buy it that often because it is expensive.  But it sure is delicious, and I enjoy every bite of it when I do buy it.  One of my favorite ways of eating crab is to have it in crab cakes.  I also love curry.   So to combine these two great foods makes a wonderful taste sensation that will have you begging for more.  I made my crab cakes in the Maryland crab cake style, meaning more crab and less “cake”.  They are light, delicate crab cakes that are full of flavor.   I topped the crab cakes with some of my left over Hollandaise sauce Happy Birthdays and served them over wild rice with a spinach salad and a tomato vinaigrette on the side.  The meal was made complete with a glass or two of a cool, crisp viognier, by one of our local vintners, Turquoise Mesa Winery, which is only about five minutes from my house.  You can find Turquoise Mesa Winery at colorado.com/wine-wineries/turquoise-mesa-winery.  

Curried Crab Cakes

1 lb lump crab meat

1 1/2-2 TBSP bread crumbs

2 tsp parsley, chopped fine

salt & pepper to taste

1 jalapeno, chopped fine

1 tsp Tobasco sauce

a dash of Hot sauce (I used some Caribbean hot sauce we bought from some of our travels)

1 1/2-2 tsp curry powder

1 1/2-2 TBSP mayonnaise

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 egg

 

Mix the crab, salt & pepper, jalapeno, bread crumbs and parsley together.  Mix the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, curry, and hot sauces together separately.   Once everything has been mixed together separately, combine the egg mixture with the crab mixture and toss everything together, combining well, making sure to coat all the crab mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400* F

The mixture will be soft and flimsy, so spoon the mixture onto a greased baking sheet and form into a ball.  You can make the crab cakes any size you want depending on the size spoon you use.  I made my crab cakes about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.   Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the crab cakes are lightly golden.

Once the crab cakes are cooked, you can eat them plain, or with a sauce or your choice.  They are best with a light sauce since the crab is light and delicate.  You do not want a strong, bold sauce because you will lose the light, delicate flavors of the crab.