Ode To Crab Part 2 - Best Crab Cakes EVER!

The harbor whispers old tales
Shanties sung quietly on a misty morn
The ships sway with a rhythm all too familiar 
And the barnacle covered docks welcome me like an old friend
There are legends here, my heart knows 
And many more that must be told in days to come


My last trip to Westport, WA was a bit bittersweet. On one hand, it was my first time there with my 3 month old son. Awesome. 

My red bearded pirate nephew Tim

On the other hand, it was my first time there without my nephew and crabbing buddy Tim. He passed away 4 months ago from cancer, and there's no way Westport will ever be the same without him. It's amazing how you can experience loss and sadness over memories gone by and incredible joy at memories to be made. I kept waiting for a red bearded scallywag to come shove me off the dock and then disappear into thin air. Didn't get me this time, Tim! 

As I said before, this trip inspired several great meals from the 3 crabs I was able to net. In this edition of The Fat Pastor, I'm going to unpack the best crab cake recipe you'll probably ever have. 

But then again, it's the only crab cake I've ever had. Except for the nasty, frozen ones I had one time at a restaurant that I probably shouldn't have been ordering crab cakes from. But those don't count. The only thing they did was scare me from having crab cakes, but after this production?? Never again! 

It's kinda like the time I had frog legs in New Mexico. Bad idea. Those are the experiences that make you never want to have them again...

Anyway, on to the crab cakes. My recommendation? Get a cooked, whole crab, maybe 2, and take the time to remove the meat yourself. You can get a package of lump crab meat if you want, but I promise the results will not be the same. Up to you! 

Dungeness Crab Cakes A La Fat Pastor With Spicy Tartar

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Egg, Beaten
1 Tbl. Creole Mustard, or Stone Ground if you can't find the creole variety!
1 Tbl. Worcestershire
1/2 Tsp. Sriracha
1 Lb. FRESH Dungeness Crab Meat (okay, buy the packaged stuff if you must...) 
22 Saltine Rounds (or just the crackers... whatever) Crushed
1/2 Cup Canola Oil

For The Tartar:
1 Cup Good Quality (NON-Sweet) Tartar Sauce (I should come up with a recipe...)
1-2 Tbl. Sriracha

Directions: 
Make the spicy tartar by combining the Sriracha and tartar sauce. Add the Sriracha according to your heat preference. Start with 1 Tbl, and add more if you want! Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

In a bowl, whisk together the mayo, egg, mustard and Worcestershire.

In another bowl, combine the crab meat with the crackers you crushed up. Without mixing everything TOO much, combine the mayo mix and the crab/cracker mix. It's really important that you just barely combine it - too much stirring and mixing and it won't turn out right. Sounds weird, just trust me. After that, put it in the fridge for an hour.

Okay, now that the crab mixture is nice and chilly, take it out of the fridge and start making your cakes. You're going to make about 8. Or you could make 4 giant cakes, but then you're gonna have to adjust the cooking time. I'd stick with 8.

Once those are formed, set aside and start heating your oil in a medium saute' pan at slightly higher than medium heat. Once the oil is hot, drop in cakes, 3 or 4 at a time. You're gonna cook them for 3 minutes per side, and then drain on a paper towel. You can garnish with a little flat leaf parsley, and drizzle some fresh oil over the top. And don't forget that spicy tartar from earlier!

Because Eating Good Is A Calling Of Its Own, 
The Fat Pastor

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