Sometimes I think I live in the wrong part of the country. I really do like living in Iowa for the most part, but there are times I really wish had access to fresh seafood. I love salmon and other fish. Lobster rolls? Yes, please! Oysters? I’ll take a bushel. And then there are crabs. Because I live in Iowa, fresh crab meat is hard to find, and when you do find it, it is pricey.

Crab season begins on the first of April on the east coast and runs through fall. This tends to bring the price down a bit, but it is still relatively expensive.

Crab can still be enjoyed here in the midwest.  One of my favorite ways to do so is crab cakes. I like them because all the hard work is done for you when you sit down to eat.

My daughter and her boyfriend are vacationing on the East coast this summer.  I’ve been told his main objective is to eat all the crab and lobster he can. Maybe they’ll bring home some fresh crab for me.

Here is what I do:

Crab Cakes

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 finely chopped scallions
½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (approximately 1 small pepper)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat
½ cup panko
Oil for cooking

Directions

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, scallions, red bell pepper, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage or shell and remove) and panko. Gently fold mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 crab cakes using a ½ cup measuring cup and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat a large skillet to medium heat and coat with oil; no more than ¼ inch deep. When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or my Chipotle Lime Sauce. Recipe follows below.

Note: Do not skip the refrigeration step. Refrigerating the cakes will help prevent them from falling apart during cooking.

Chipotle Lime Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise
1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Directions

Puree mayonnaise, lime juice, and chipotle pepper in a small blender. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour; best if made the day before.