From weekends at the shore to mega-blockbuster movies in an overly air conditioned theater, some things are best enjoyed during the warmer months. Food-wise, that couldn’t be more true of all of our favorite crustaceans. From crab cakes to lobster rolls to crawfish boils, something about them just screams “summertime, and the livin’ is easy.”
We’ll be looking to make and enjoy these crustacean recipes in the coming months—ideally, with a frosty beer or glass of ice tea close by. If you’ll be doing the same, don’t forget the sauce! Here’s your guide to cooking those shelled creatures of the sea, plus the condiments to serve with them.
Easy Crab Cakes
In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup bread crumbs, green onions, red pepper, egg, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder and cayenne; fold in crab.
Place remaining bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Divide mixture into eight portions; shape into 2-in. balls. Gently coat in bread crumbs and shape into a 1/2-in.-thick patty.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Yield: 4 servings.
The Chesapeake may lay claim to the original crab cake, but we like to think that ours ain’t too shabby, either. Completely free of filler, they’re held together simply with a light aioli and encrusted by a layer of crisp-fried panko.
