New Year’s Lump Crab Cakes with Bloody Mary Salsa

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Crab meat is the easy way to enjoy the rich, delicate flavor of the cold winter waters. Today we will explore the delicate side of the abused crab cake, simply made to perfection to start your New Year on a tasteful note.

WHERE DOES CRAB MEAT COME FROM? The Eastern United States Atlantic waters yield the sweetest meat from the Blue Crab. The taste is clean, delicate with a pronounced sweet flavor on the finish, all with a wonderful resilient texture. The commercial crab meat industry centers around the Chesapeake Bay area.

Numerous species of crabs yield meat from around the continent and the globe. Many are very good with resilient meat and clean sweet flavor. Ask your fish market for a taste before you buy as each crab meat will vary in their individual unique taste and textural qualities.

SELECTING YOUR CRAB MEAT: Fresh crab meat is the best but highly perishable, lasting only a few days. Canned or pasteurized crab meat can be quite good and a more stable source as long as it has not been frozen. Frozen crab meat for me loses texture and flavor and should be overlooked.

There are a few grading sizes to choose from:

Jumbo Lump – These are the big crab lumps that come from the upper legs connecting to the body. These are the best for cocktail and salads, and my favorite indulgence for the perfect crab cake.

Be selective of your brand as an old trick is to pack the jumbo lump pieces on top with the standard lump pieces underneath.

Lump and many market names – This is the meat from the rest of the crab. These pieces taste fine but are smaller and finer. Lump is just fine for a crab cake but be careful to mix as little as possible to keep the meat from further braking apart and becoming mushy.

Colossal Lump – Newer to the market from giant crabs fished in the South Pacific. These giant crabs yield giant lumps, clearly the size of a silver dollar, about double the size of Jumbo Lump. Very expensive they are best enjoyed where they can be clearly enjoyed in their colossal shape.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: The best technique is to blend your spices and seasoning into the mayonnaise then add the crab with a little mixing as possible. Second best is to deeply chill the crab cake in the freezer to set the shape. This technique allows you to avoid adding bread crumbs into the crab to glue it together, thus adding bland filler and unnecessary carbohydrates.

HOW DO THE NUTRIENTS STACK UP? Crab is high in protein yet negligible in carbohydrates. The carbs are coming from the bread crumbs sprinkled on the exterior of the crab to make the cake. The salsa cares unrefined natural carbs from the tomatoes primarily, all good carbs.

TRY YOUR TECHNIQUE: Try this super easy technique to capture all the true delicate crab flavor with Lump Crab Cakes with Bloody Mary Salsa.

LUMP CRAB CAKE WITH BLOODY MARY SALSA

Makes 4 servings of about 10 grams carbohydrates,

23 grams protein and 2 grams fiber each

Prep Time 15 minutes – Cooking Time 10 minutes

Crab Cake

1/4cup mayonnaise (C=4g)

1/2cup finely diced sweet onions(C=7g)

1/4cup finely diced celery stalk (C=1.1g)

Sea salt (C=0g)

Cayenne pepper to your taste (C=.4g)

1pound cleaned jumbo lump crab meat (C=0g)(P=92g)

1/2cup gluten free Panko bread crumbs (Net C=10g)(P=4g)

Salsa

1cup diced ripe tomatoes (C=8.4g)(P=1.5g)(F=2g)

1teaspoon garlic salt (C=0g)

1shot Citron Vodka Optional (C=0g)

1lime juiced (C=2.8g)

1tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (C=3g)

1generous dash Chipotle Tabasco (C=1g) or to your taste

1heaping tablespoon prepared horseradish sauce (C=0g)

4sprigs celery greens for garnish (C=.2g)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Make the crab cakes:

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, onion and celery. Season generously with salt and cayenne. Fold in the crab meat. Mold into 4 cakes. Sprinkle half of the cracker crumbs into 4 small circles on parchment lined sheet pan. Place a crab cake on each circle of crumbs. Sprinkle the tops of the crab cakes lightly with the remaining crumbs. Deep chill in the freezer, without freezing, until ready to cook.

Make the salsa: In another medium bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic salt, optional Vodka and lime juice. Season with generously with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, horseradish and sea salt as necessary. Reserve.

To Serve: Place the crab cakes on the middle rack of your oven, cooking until golden brown about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Transfer to the center of a warm serving plate. Spoon the salsa over the cake. Garnish with the spring of celery and serve.

COOKING NOTE I: (C=0g)(P=0g)(F=0g)indicates the total carbohydrates, total protein & total fiber in grams for the ingredient listed.