Crab Cakes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound crab meat (preferably lump, but claw meat makes great cakes too, especially since it's sweet. Pick through it for shells.)
- Old Bay Seasoning (Most Chesapeake Bay region crab lovers "guestimate" their use of Old Bay, but if you're unfamiliar with it, try about 1/2 tbsp. It's highly flavored and spicy. There are other crab seasonings out there, but a true bay region native will use only Old Bay. It's the best.)
- 2-3 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. bread crumbs (used only to bind it together, never as filler)
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until consistency is moist yet firm enough to hold together when formed into cakes. Once you have made the cakes, put them in the frig. to set. Once chilled, they can be deep-fat fried, pan sauteed or broiled. Just be certain that they turn a golden brown on both sides, and watch them so they donÆt burn. Serve with tartar sauce. Yields approx. 4 dinner-size cakes.
Crab Imperial
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. lump crab meat (Claw meat really won't be the same here, and fresh is far preferred over the canned pasteurized version since the latter, though labeled "lump" seldom is.)
- Mayonnaise (Start with one cup in your bowl. Keep in mind that this imperial sauce is mixed in with the the crab meat to moisten it, then poured over it to rise and brown. You may require more mayonnaise.)
- 1 egg
- Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
- Old Bay Seasoning (Again it's a "guestimate," though crab imperial should be a bit more delicate in flavor than a crab cake. Begin with 1 tsp.)
Pick through your lump crab meat in a bowl. Pick through it carefully but gently as you don't want to crush the lumps. In a separate bowl, mix together with a fork or whisk the mayonnaise, the egg, the lemon juice, and the Old Bay. Taste. The sauce should be creamy with a hint of lemon and spice. Adjust the Old Bay for your own tastes if you prefer spicy. Take about 1/2 cup of this prepared sauce and gently fold it into the picked lump crab meat. Mixture should be moist, but not overly wet.
The imperial can be cooked either in separate ramekins (nice for an elegant look) or in a casserole dish. Whichever you choose, grease lightly with a spray or butter. Pile the moistened crab meat into ramekins or casserole and pour reserved imperial sauce over it. There should be enough to sit atop the meat, not drown it. If you need more sauce or prefer more, make a half recipe and discard what you don't need. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. When done properly, the imperial will have a golden soufle-like crust on top. Serve with a fresh garden salad and French bread.
Steamed Crabs
You will need live crabs (at least one dozen), a large kettle (canning or lobster boil size), a raised rack to fit inside the kettle, water, cider vinegar, and Old Bay Seasoning.
Place rack in bottom of kettle and fill it with enough water to just reach top of the rack. The idea here is to steam the crabs, not boil them. Add 1 cup of vinegar to the water. Cover and bring it to a full boil. Now comes the fun part. Using a very long set of tongs, lower the crabs one by one to sit atop the rack, and, yes, they will want to leave so pop the top on after each one. After you have one layer of crabs on the rack (about 4 to 6) sprinkle them liberally with Old Bay. Then one-by-one add another layer of crabs and repeat the seasoning. Don't fill the kettle much beyond one-half full with crabs. Cover and steam at full tilt for approximately 20 minutes.
Remove a top-layer crab and crack a claw to check for doneness. Pour them out on a picnic table and dig in.
Baltimore Pit Beef (adapted from Big Fat Daddy's in Rosedale, MD)
Seasoning: Combine these in a bowl.
- 2 tbsp. seasoned salt
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1-3 lb. piece top round, bread/rolls of your choice though traditional recipe calls for kaiser rolls or rye bread (enough for eight sandwiches).
- 1 sweet onion (Vidalia is good) sliced thin
- Ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
- Iceberg lettuce
Cook on a hot grill for 30 to 40 minutes, turning often until outside of beef is crusty and dark. Check with a knife. At this point it is probably rare to medium-rare on the inside. Let it rest before you slice it.
Slice it thinly across the grain. Pile it on roll or bread, slathered with horseradish and mayonnaise. Garnish with onions and tomatoes and lettuce.
