Mr. Lake's New Orleans Forum

Who makes 'em good? How do you like them?

Personally, I prefer a crab stuffed back into its own shell. Like the stuffing in the heads of crawfish bisque, I think the shell imparts flavor. Be that as it may, here's my latest attempt at crab cakes using as little breading and binder as possible to allow the crabmeat to hold together while cooking. Fried them in butter and topped them in the same browned butter:

Crab cakes? Stuffed crabs? I just got me some stuffed crabs from Doornack's this afternoon, but they was in them aluminum fake crab shells. They were still very good, Jezerial “Chef Jezz” Jones doesn't overload them with bread crumbs and they are spiced real nice. I like to take them out of the aluminum thingie and put 'em on a toasted kaiser bun.

Crab cakes are one of my favorite things! Like these we had at Trapani's Eatery in Bay St. Louis:



I like mine as the RatChucks do, all crab and very little "cake". Yours look particularly inviting, Mr. Lake!

Both those pix look great, but my faves are PaulaRat's crab cakes. MMmmm, they are wonderful!

I'll take them any way I can get them. Crabmeat saute or with bread crumbs. Just don't put "some" crab in with the breadcrumbs or it's a perntless waste .

Exactly! That just ought to be illegal.

I think I have finally settled upon panko as my tiny bit of filler, but I'm still experimenting (still have to try Ritz cracker crumbs that VaBonnie suggested). The superchile from the garden in the last round (plus double the Dijon mustard and half the mayo) added the perfect kick.

Lake, yours looks great. I see y'all have been starving lately.

I use panko also - but no mayo. I don't like what it does to the taste of the crab. Very little seasoning, a bit of egg and wine and dijon for moistening, and gently put them in the pan. If the pan is hot enough, the instant sear holds them together. Baking them might be a very good idea, less chance of them falling apart because you wouldn't have to turn them.

Yep, I broil mine so they get good and crispy. I do turn them over once during cooking, but they have already bound by then.

I think I used a tbsp of mayo last time (for a pound of crabmeat). I like the wine idea. Of course, I think wine is always a good idea.

I LOVE BROWN BUTTER TOO MR. LAKE!! It seems especially good with crab recipes. Thanks for the pics. They are an inspiration!

Jam, you just reminded me of a soft shell crab meuniere I had at the old Chart House (Now Muriel's). Man, that was pure decadence!

CopCop, those traditional sauces cannot be beat. I guess I'm old fashioned, but to me they are the best and sets NOLA cuisine apart from the rest.