CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB CAKES

I love Maryland (aka Chesapeake Bay) crab cakes and I can get the crab meat fresh here in Eastern Virginia. Here is a traditional recipe for Maryland crab cakes with Tartar Sauce.

1 large egg

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 t Coleman's Dry Mustard

1 t Old Bay Seasoning

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t prepared horseradish (optional)
Zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 T chopped parsley
1 t freshly ground black pepper

½ t sea salt

12 butter style crackers or saltine crackers, finely crushed 

1 lb fresh jumbo lump crab meat

In a large bowl, whisk the egg until frothy, then whisk in the mayonnaise.  

Whisk in the rest of the ingredients except the cracker crumbs and crab meat.

Gently mix in the cracker crumbs and crab meat.

Cover and let sit in your refrigerator for 15 minutes.

With wet hands, gently form into 4 crab cakes and place on a platter, cover and refrigerate for about an hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place crab cakes on a baking sheet, sprayed with a little cooking oil.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise                                     

1 T capers, drained and chopped                                 

2 T minced sweet pickle or pickle relish

2 T minced red onion 

1 t lemon zest

1 t Dijon mustard

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 t dill weed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste                                      

In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together, cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days.