Nothing to be crabby about this crab season! Our customers tell us they are enjoying the abundance as well as the robust quality! And Dungeness crab is on my December dinner show menu all month in the form of crab cakes. Crab cakes made with Dungeness crab are clearly my favorite way to enjoy crab.

My love affair with crab started when I was cooking in Washington, D.C., where Maryland blue crab, not Dungeness, was the star. I have learned that crab cakes, regardless of variety of crab, require a certain amount of finesse to ensure that the delicate flavor of the crab comes through. In the east, we used Old Bay seasoning for boiling whole crab, as well as for crab cakes. It is my belief that crab and Old Bay go together like another favorite pairing, coriander and salt! However, I recently changed my approach by producing a salt free version of the spice combo. Now I can increase the spiciness and heat without increasing salt. And due to the natural salinity of crab, it doesnt require salt any way.

My crab cake recipe has morphed since my East Coast days but one thing I havent changed is that I never use filler when forming them. I would have been run out of town on Capitol Hill if I used cracker or breadcrumbs in them. To maintain their shape and prevent them from falling apart when cooking, its important to squeeze out the water before blending. It is also important to check for shell even when you buy already-picked crab, and at this point I also squeeze the crab extracting about a half cup of water per pound. Oh, and while picking crab I wear disposable gloves to keep my fingers from turning bright orange!

Another habit I have cultivated while preparing crab is to work over a bowl of ice. In fact crab should be packed in ice regardless. I encourage people to ask for it packed on ice when buying it for the trip home, and even put ice on it when home while in the refrigerator. That way the quality is preserved and it remains as fresh as it can possibly be by the time it is served. Just make sure the ice doesnt melt and leak into the crab.

As for boiling up whole fresh crabs and picking my own meat, I say leave it for the professionals. Unless you go crabbing recreationally, which I enjoy very much, I believe picking your own crabmeat is not cost effective. A skilled picker, also known as a crab shaker, gets lots more crab from the shell and more quickly than I can with my limited practice.

I do encourage taking out of town guests to one of the many locations on the Oregon coast where you can fish for crab from a boat or off the dock. It is the best way to show off this treasured crop. We took my sister on a recent trip. Lets just say, it is fun, it is wet! (so dress for it) and it is rewarding!

Besides crab cakes, I enjoy making a variation on crab imperial and I serve it over toasted brioche buns, sort of like an elegant adult version of sloppy joes! And my chicken corn chowder just seems better with crab. You know, that juice (crab water) that I extract? I freeze it in small bags, and use it to flavor soups and chowders!

The greatest producer of Dungeness crab is Oregon, and earlier this month the Oregon Crab fleet was recognized for its sustainable practices fishing only larger males during season (December through August) and leaving the females and younger males in the ocean, ensuring a steady supply of crab. It has been practiced for many decades, but the official recognition allows Oregon Dungeness crabs to be labeled sustainable for the eco-conscious consumers, and perhaps even increasing their value in the marketplace.

Bobs spice blend

 

This is my version of Old Bay seasoning without the salt. Dungeness crab meat is pretty salty already, so after you get the crab meat seasoned for crab cakes, you can taste for salt. I use about 1 teaspoon of spice blend per pound of crabmeat when making crab cakes, and I rarely add salt.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons ground celery seed

1 tablespoon cayenne

3 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

Method:Blend and reserve in dry sealed container.

Crab cakes

Ingredients:

1-pound Dungeness crabmeat

1-2 tablespoon mayonnaise, heavy

1 teaspoon of Bob’s Old Bay blend seasoning

1 tablespoon green onion, minced

1 half lemon

1 tablespoon butter and extra-virgin olive oil for frying

Method:

 Working over bowl of ice with well-drained crab in bowl, pick shell and squeeze out water. Replace squeezed crab in bowl over ice and finish by adding remaining ingredients of mayo, seasoning and onion. Toss gently. Shape into patties about two inches wide by one inch high; refrigerate cakes for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking. At service, heat blend of butter and extra-virgin olive oil to coat bottom of skillet. On medium-high heat, cook crab cakes until lightly browned on one side. Flip over and heat through about 1 to 3 minutes. Spritz with lemon juice. Garnish with fresh garlic aioli and micro herbs if desired.

Dungeness crab imperial on brioche buns

 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup cream

1/2 tablespoon sherry or Marsala wine

1/2 tablespoon paprika vinegar as needed, and to taste, dash hot sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 pound crab meat, well picked

2 tablespoons chives

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

4 brioche buns, split and toasted (see our website for recipe)

1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise for buns

Method: 

Prepare cream sauce by melting butter over medium heat; add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Add milk and cream slowly to incorporate. Add wine, paprika vinegar, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. To serve, blend in crab, fresh herbs, and bring up to simmer. Serve immediately over toasted buns spread with mayo, if desired. Enjoy. Serves four.