Crab Cakes

I love crab cakes. And I like them the way God intended with very little filling, no added vegetables and just a little flavoring to enhance the crab. No need for peppers, onions, tarragon, celery etc. Let the crab shine through.

Get the very best crab you can find -- since we live in Central VA we are partial to Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs -- and mix it up carefully to create restaurant quality deliciousness in your own kitchen. I made these the other night and I swear my husband -- who eats pretty good most days -- said it was one of the best things I ever made.

Crab Cakes, Green Beans Almondine, Fresh Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
and a piece of garlic toast. Perfection! 

Crab Cakes
serves 2

1/2 pound lump crab meat, picked over carefully to remove shell
2 tsp. + 2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
pinch Kosher salt

Mix all ingredients carefully together in a bowl -- leaving aside 2 tsp. of the butter for frying the crab cakes. Stir gently so as not to break up the crab meat too much. Shape them into cakes. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When the pan gets hot, add the remaining 2 tsp. of butter and the crab cakes. Cook them for 5 minutes without moving them so they develop a crispy crust and then carefully turn them over and cook for another 5 minutes.

Crab Cakes

Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes to ensure the egg is cooked all the way through. Serve with your choice of fresh lemon juice, cocktail sauce or a little more butter. These crab cakes come in at 6 points each if you are a Weight Watcher like me. You can reduce the points by lowering the amount of butter used, but it truly gives them a rich buttery flavor that is hard to duplicate.

Shrimp Pesto Pasta

This is a dinner I made by raiding the pantry and the refrigerator. It was totally unplanned. All I knew early in the day was that dinner would contain shrimp and pasta. The rest of it came together as the meal progressed. I buy big bags of frozen raw shrimp when they are on sale. It's great to have them in the freezer anytime we feel like seafood for dinner. Other things I keep in the pantry, like pesto sauce and evaporated canned milk. In the summer, I can step outside my kitchen door and pick basil if I want pesto. I freeze a good amount of it but  usually run out around January. SO, a jar or 2 of pesto sauce in the pantry is the way to go. Evaporated canned milk is a great shelf stable sub for cream, and it's lower in fat as well. Cherry tomatoes and fresh garlic are always on our weekly shopping list, so we've always got them on hand.

This entire dinner came together in about 30 minutes. The pasta and shrimp both cook up quickly and the sauce goes together in a flash. I've given measurements for 2 hearty portions, but it can easily be doubled. This amount made a plate full for each of us plus a small bowl for lunch then next day. AND my husband said, "Don't scrimp on the shrimp!"

Here's what I came up with, using what I had around:

Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Wish I'd had a fresh basil leaf for garnish!!

Shrimp Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic
2 servings

16 LARGE shrimp peeled and deveined, tails off

Pesto Sauce and Evaporated Milk
Pantry Staples

4 cloves of garlic peeled and halved
8 cherry tomatoes 
2 T. Classico Pesto Sauce                                                          
3 T. evaporated skim milk (from a can) or equal amount cream
2 T. dry white wine
6 - 8 oz. vermicelli
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Toss the tomatoes and garlic in a little olive oil and put them into a small baking dish. I like to use stoneware for this.

Cherry tomtaoes and garlic for roasting

While the veggies are roasting, place the shrimp in a single layer on a layer or two of paper towels to dry them in preparation for searing. They need to be fairly dry. 

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil for the pasta.

While the water is heating, preheat a non-stick skillet until it is hot. Add a few drops of olive oil and sear the shrimp off a few at a time, making sure not to crowd them or over cook them. Sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt while they are searing. Cook them 2 - 3 minutes on each side. Remove them to a bowl to add back into the sauce later.

They should be just pink and slightly crispy on the edges as shown above.

In the same pan, add the pesto sauce, the evaporated milk and the white wine. Stir over low heat to combine. Don't let the sauce boil, just simmer gently until warmed through.

Cover it and keep warm until the pasta is cooked to al dente'.   Drain the pasta well, and add it back into the hot pot you cooked it in. Add the tomatoes and garlic and the sauce you made. Toss to combine. Add the shrimp and cover the mixture. Heat on low a few minutes and serve with grated Parmesan.

Enjoy! 

Creamy Hot Crab DIp

Creamy Crab Dip on Crackers

                                       
OK, this is a "treat" kind of recipe, I know. However, my husband recently had a birthday and I'd saved some crab meat in the freezer from when we'd picked crabs back in July. So it was a given that I make the King some Crab Dip! I can tell you, picking crabs to save the meat is a true labor of love. I had to pick 12 crabs to get 1/2 pound of clean crab meat! We'd picked all the "big" ones while we were eating them, so I was left with the ones that everyone picks up, experimentally weighs by lifting them over the pile and then drops them back on the pile while they search out another heavier one. If you've never had or picked Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs read all about it in my post here from Father's Day 2012.

This crab dip has more than great taste for us, it also holds great memories. I catered our wedding myself (yes I know that is crazy, but I was on a budget) and crab dip featured hugely in the spread we set out. In addition, it's made an appearance at every Christmas party we've ever had, and we've had a few. It's not quite as ubiquitous as my husbands famous Shrimp Dip, but almost. (That shrimp dip is a story for another blog, another time.) Let me also say that the recipe you see here is much lighter than the original one, which included an entire stick of butter, as well as whole fat sour cream and cream cheese. I honestly don't miss the additional fat, it still tastes creamy and rich to me.

Enough talk, here it is, in all it's glory. Fabulous, creamy Crab Dip. I've written the recipe for a whole pound but it's easily halved or doubled. If the picture doesn't look like it's much, it's because I've halved it. I must say, that this recipe will make a little bit of crab meat go a LONG way!

Crab dip saute'ed with butter

Creamy Crab Dip 
1 pound crab meat, picked clean
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
5 T. salted butter
1 T. lemon juice             
1 dash Worcestershire sauce                
8 oz. light cream cheese
8 oz. light sour cream
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T. dry sherry
1 cup grated Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Have your butter and cream cheese at room temperature. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and add minced garlic. Saute' the garlic for a few minutes until it begins to soften (not brown!) and add the creab meat, folding it into the butter/garlic mixture until completely combined. Add the lemon juice and stir it in. Next fold in the softened cream cheese. I find it easier to do if you score the block into smaller squares so that they incorporate more evenly. 

Add the cream cheese and stir until the crab and cream cheese are totally mixed together.

Now stir in the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and dry sherry, making sure that all ingredients are well combined. Regarding the cayenne, 1/4 tsp will make the dip mildly hot, 1/2 tsp will give it just a little kick. If you don't like things hot at all you can sub Old Bay Seasoning or plain paprika. 

Dry Sherry, be SURE to buy DRY Sherry! 

Lastly, fold in most of the cheddar, saving a little to sprinkle on top. Transfer the dip into a baking dish that has been sprayed lightly with cooking spray. OR if you plan to make this for a big group, and need to keep the dip hot for a longer time,  put the dip into the serving vessel of your chafing dish. That's the way I serve this special dish when I am having a lot of different appetizers for a holiday party (or a wedding reception!). Sprinkle the reserved cheddar over the top of the crab. At this point, you can bake it immediately for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or refrigerate it (covered) for up to two days and then bake it when you  need it (be sure to bring it to room temperature by setting the casserole out on the counter for at least 20 minutes before putting into a hot over.)

Hot baked Crab Dip! 

Serve with assorted crackers or toast points.We like a combination of crackers, like Triscuits, Club and Whole Wheat. Toast points are good as well, but a little more trouble. No matter how you do it, it's delicious! 

Makes at least 10 appetizer servings. Now, go and find something to celebrate! 

CELEBRATE!

Lobster and Shrimp Bisque For Two

Lobster and Shrimp Bisque
Doesn't look exciting but man, it's good!

Believe it or not, I found myself with some leftover lobster meat. What? Our local Tom Leonard's Market in Richmond, had lobster tails on sale, 2 for $10, and my husband, being in a rather expansive mood, bought 6 of them. Yes, SIX. They weren't very big, as he explained it. We ate 4 on Saturday night, along with a small fillet that he also purchased on sale there, but I had 2 of them leftover. I mean, unless you live in Maine and have lobster traps, who had leftover lobster? Just sayin'...

So, yesterday, I researched lobster bisque, lobster pot pie and lobster mac-n-cheese. Many of these recipes included fennel and I don't like fennel. Or anise. Or licorice. Period. My husband doesn't love pot pie. I mean he'll eat if but he's not crazy about it. The mac-n-cheese recipes looked SO rich, with the lobster, butter, gruyere cheese and cream, I decided against that. 

We love She Crab Soup, so I modeled on that and came up with this. It was delicious! Don't omit the Kitchen Basics Seafood Stock, which I purchased just for this dish, unless you happen to have your own homemade seafood stock. I wouldn't sub chicken stock in this dish. This soup would make a wonderful treat for your sweetie on Valentine's Day! OR just for you, two nights in one week? And it's only a little extravagant, right? It can easily be made up to a day ahead, and I am thinking it would be even better if it sat in the frig for a few hours to bring the flavors together even more harmoniously. However, we were hungry and the soup was ready. Don't rush cooking the veggies or reducing the liquid. Think low and slow for optimum flavor. It's creamy, rich and just a touch spicy from the Old Bay and cayenne pepper. PERFECT on a cold winter night, or anytime for that matter! Bet you are going to LOVE this one!

Lobster and Shrimp Bisque

2/3 c. cooked lobster meat, chopped                                  

Chopped Lobster Meat

6 - 8 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut in half

2 ribs celery, split in half and sliced thinly (2/3 c. total)

1/2 c. minced onion

3 baby carrots, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 T.)

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 T. Land o' Lakes salted butter

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 c. Kitchen Basics Seafood Stock

1/2 c. Pinot Grigio

1 c. light cream

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

4 grindings black pepper

1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

a pinch of cayenne pepper (or a little more to taste)

Melt butter with oil in the bottom of a smaller stock pot over low heat.

Small stock pot

Add celery, onion, carrots and garlic to the butter. Cook over LOW heat until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 min. Watch it and stir occasionally, you don't want it to brown. Add the fish stock and wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and let this simmer uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes, or until it's reduced by 1/3 in volume. Remove 1/2 the vegetables with a slotted spoon and puree them in your blender or get out your immersion blender and puree the soup for a minute until it's a little thickened. I like a little texture, so don't overdo the blending! Add the light cream, salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and allow this to cook together over barely simmering heat, for 10 more minutes. Next, add the Old Bay seasoning and the raw shrimp and cook this for 5 minutes. Lastly add the cayenne, then the lobster and cook for 5 more minutes until everything is heated through and the shrimp have turned pink. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes or refrigerate to reheat later. Sprinkle with a little Old Bay when served. Makes 2 dinner bowl sized servings or 4 c. for a luncheon sized serving. 

Clams Casino

Clams Casino sounds fancy, but all it really is is clams made the "house" way. In our family, it involves lots of butter, bacon, bread crumbs, garlic, lemon and maybe a little parmesan cheese. Making them is a little bit of a chore, but they are inexpensive this time of year and really, quite a treat. These little bite sized morsels of briny wonderfulness have graced many a family gathering table, and always make an appearance when we go to the beach, be it Duck, NC, VA Beach or Bethany Beach. On Father's Day, they made an appearance in my kitchen, at the request of the Father of My Children.

Clams Casino, with bacon, butter and lots of goodies.

Here's how to make them -- This is a method as opposed to a recipe.
Purchase the smallest clams you can find (often called "cherrystone"). Figure at least 3 - 4 clams per person. Wash them well, scrubbing off any muck. Soak them in bowl of cool water for at least 30 minutes - an hour is better, changing the water about half way through. This will give them a chance to disgorge any sand. Some folks add a little flour to the water, but I never do. Toss out any clams that are wide opened, they are dead.
Preheat your oven broiler or get your grill nice and hot. Put the clams on a baking sheet and let them cook about 5 minutes until they pop open. Watch them closely and when they are popping open, they are done. Remove from the heat and discard any clams that have not opened. Again, they are already dead and could be spoiled, don't take a chance.
Let them cool a few minutes and melt a stick of butter. Squeeze in a the juice of half a lemon, and add little minced garlic, if you like that. Not much garlic or it will become overpowering. Some folks add a little Old Bay seasoning, and that's good too, but, again, don't add much, maybe 1/2 tsp. or even less.
Cook 4 - 5 pieces of bacon, so that it's almost, but not quite cooked, and then cut the bacon into 1/2" or smaller pieces. When the clams are cool enough to handle, Carefully remove the top shell and gently loosen the clam from the bottom shell with a small knife or a spoon. Leave the meat in the bottom shell. Wipe down the baking sheet and put the prepared clams back onto it. Sprinkle some plain breadcrumbs over each clam -- just a little bit, so you can catch the butter. If you like, sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top of that, we love that but it's not traditional! Carefully pour a little butter onto each clam and then add a piece of bacon on top of that. Run them under the broiler or put them back on the grill until the bacon is fully cooked and they are lightly browned. Voila, Clams Casino my way. Feel free to make them your way, but this is how we do it!

Jambalaya -- Fabulous one skillet meal!

Assorted Peppers from my garden, cayenne and jalapenos

I've got peppers coming in, am loaded up with tomatoes and herbs, so I decided to make a pot of jambalaya. My nice neighbor gave me a bunch of green and orange banana peppers, and I've been growing these!

I always begin my jambalaya with by chopping up some veggies -- 3 cloves of minced garlic and the trifecta of taste, peppers, onions and celery, about a cup of each, diced like below.

Always remember the trinity, here's the garlic, onions and celery ready for the pot

The picture only shows the green pepper, but I used 1 each of the orange and green banana peppers, as well as a minced cayenne and a finely chopped jalapeno (seeds removed).

Next, slice your favorite smoked sausage (1 12 - 16 oz. portion). For this dish, I used low fat polksa kielbasa. Put a little olive oil in the bottom of a deep, heavy skillet and cook your sliced sausageit till it starts to brown along the edges. Remove it until a little later. Next, saute' your veggies, in a BIG skillet, with a about a T. each of butter and olive oil. That seems like a lot, but you are going to be making a lot! When the veggies start to soften, add one cup of rice ( I like a mixture of 2/3 c. white to 1/3 c. brown) and stir this around with the vegetables, coating the grains, with the oil and butter mixture. Sprinkle the rice with 1 T. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. celery salt and 1 T. fresh thyme and a pinch of saffron if you have it or can afford some! I did not have any, so I substituted 1 1/2 tsp. of smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp. of cumin. The flavor profile is different, but you'll get some smokey flavor and the orange color, like you would from the saffron. Next, add one can of diced tomatoes or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved.

Stir in 2 cups of chicken stock, and 1/2 cup of dry white wine and bring this to a boil. Lower to a simmer and put on the lid. Sprinkle in a little salt, maybe 1/2 tsp. and some freshly ground black pepper. Let this mixture cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure nothing sticks. If it starts to dry out, as mine did, add more stock, 1/2 cup at a time. After 30 to 45 minutes add the sausage back into the mixture along with 1 - 2 cups of your favorite seafood, or whatever you have in your freezer. I used 1 cup of raw, peeled and deveined shrimp and 1 cup of frozen bay scallops. Here's a picture of my big, ol' skillet of yumminess!

Big ol' pan of Jambalaya!

The only thing left to do, is dig in! This will make 5 adult sized portions. We had it with a green salad and some crusty bread for sopping up the spicy drippins! Laissez les bon temps rollons! (Pardon my french, very rusty!)

Sure wish you could taste it! Yummy Jambalaya!

Here's a list of ingredients to help you shop:

1 32 oz. box chicken stock
1 smoked sausage or polska kielbasa
rice
1 large onion
1 medium green pepper, plus a few other assorted ones for color and texture
fresh garlic cloves
seafood - 1 1/2 cups asst. such as shrimp, scallops or clams
dry white wine
1 can diced tomatoes or 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Fresh thyme, celery salt, chili powder, saffron if you feel rich, otherwise use smoked paprika and cumin

Don't Save This Dish For a Special Occasion Creamy Crab and Shrimp with Linguine

There is simply nothing like crabmeat from the Chesapeake Bay. I've tried lots of different types from all over the world, and you will never convince me that there is any better than our local favorite. The one drawback, naturally, is the price. Even in season, in Richmond, VA, the price hovers around $16 per pound. I created this dish to make that pound go a long way and feed a crowd. Rich and creamy, with a little shrimp thrown in for added texture, this will satisfy your yen for crabby goodness!
Creamy Crab Casserole
1 lb. regular crabmeat, picked clean of shells and debris
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 stick butter
1 clove minced garlic
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. flour
8 oz. light cream (table cream, not heavy whipping cream)
2 T. light cream cheese
2 - 3 T. white wine or sherry (totally optional, a matter of taste)
about 10 basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced.
1 lb. linguine cooked to just al dente (should be firm to the tooth)
Melt butter in a large, deep skillet and add the minced garlic. Saute for a few minutes and add your picked over crab meat (DO NOT omit picking over the crabmeat for shells and cartlidge -- no matter who you buy it from, there will be stuff in there you don't want to chew!). Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir till well combined. Grind in a little black pepper, and stir in the flour. Saute this mixture until ALL of the flour is absorbed, then add the cream, wine and cream cheese. Continue to stir until the cream cheese melts and you have a smooth, creamy, crabby sauce. At this point you may want to taste the mixture for seasoning, it may need a little salt, or more pepper. If it still has a little raw flour taste, continue to saute over low heat for a few more minutes.
Spray a 9"X13" pan with cooking spray. Layer the barely cooked linguini in the bottom and top with the crabmeat mixture, thinly sliced basil and the raw shrimp. Over the top sprinkle 1/2 c. parmesan reggiano cheese, if desired. (I know, I know, no cheese with seafood, but I like it!)
At this point you can cover and refrigerate your dish for up to 2 days or bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until hot throughout and the shrimp on the top have turned pink.
This dish will serve 6 adults as a main dish. If you make a 'surf and turf" kind of dinner, with a grilled meat, you can easily serve 8 to 10 people. This is a rich, decadent kind of casserole that makes it perfect for company -- but don't just serve it on special occasions -- treat yourself now and then!

Linguini With Red Clam Sauce

Linguini with Red Clam Sauce, plus a few bay scallops!

The weather around here has been dismal and dreary, with lots of rain and clouds everyday for about a week. Friday night was just too depressing to even think about dragging around, looking for a convivial spot to have a drink and get a plate of good food, so I decided to make one of our family favorites, Linguine with Red Clam Sauce. This recipe is not only good to eat, it is very low in calories and fat. I like to add in what ever other kind of seafood we happen to have around the house, and last night it was a cup full of frozen bay scallops (the little ones).

This is so easy and everything can be kept on hand for those nights when you forget to thaw something or you did not have time to prep a meal early in the day. The basic sauce it very budget friendly -- canned clams are always inexpensive, just watch for frozen seafood sales at the local grocery store. for the extra seafood to toss in.

Try this -- I am betting it will become a part of your meal rotation. It's a go to winner! I have often served it to company, dressed up with fresh clams and shrimp, and it's always a hit. This recipe will serve 4 - 6, depending on what you serve with it. Don't forget the salad and bread, to make it go a little farther!

Linguini With Red Clam Sauce

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes (get a good brand or San Marzano)

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small can minced clams in juice**

1 handful chopped flat leaf parsley OR 1 tsp. dried oregano + 1 tsp. dried basil

a spritz of fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. dry red wine

freshly ground black pepper

1 16 oz. box linguini, cooked al dente

In a large, deep non stick frying pan, heat your oil over low heat and add the onions and garlic. Let this cook low and slow, to develop the flavor, being careful not to brown the garlic. I like to do this at least 10 minutes. Open the can of clams and drain off the juice; then, add it to the pan, reserving your clams for later. Continue to let this simmer for a few minutes. Drain the juice from the tomatoes into the pan and then crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the sauce. ("Why not use crushed tomatoes" you are asking? Because most of them have tomato puree added and the consistency is too smooth. Same thing with diced tomatoes, wrong consistency.) If you are using the dried herbs, add them at this point. Sprinkle in a scant tsp. of salt (don't over do the salt, the clams and juice are salty on their own) and a few gridings of black pepper. Add the wine. Turn up the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Turn it down, cover it and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. (Start heating up your big pot of water for the pasta, so it all gets ready about the same time.)

At this point, add in your clams and a cup or so of any other seafood you like. Some to try are whole, peeled and deveined shrimp, scrubbed cherry stone clams, bay scallops or sea scallops cut in fourths. If you are using fresh seafood, just make sure it is well drained and cleaned.

Bring the sauce back to a boil, just for a few minutes, long enough to cook your additional seafood -- the canned clams are cooked. Shrimp and scallops take about 5 minutes, whole clams are ready when they pop open. Discard any that do not pop.

I have made this dish many times with just the clams, and it works fine and is delicious. However, adding the extra seafood gives it a little WOW factor. It all depends on your budget and what you have in your kitchen!

Lastly add the fresh flat leaf parsley, if that is the herb you have, and the spritz of lemon. Serve over hot, cooked linguini. Be sure to serve this with crusty bread -- the sauce is very juicy and you will want to soak it all up and not miss a drop!! It's not traditional, but I can't resist adding a few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano to the top.

**Cooks note: Be sure to buy minced clams, not chopped. And be sure to follow the directions to add the juice from the can early in the recipe and the clams themselves at the very end. If you cook canned clams too long, they begin to taste like chopped rubber bands!!