Recipe: Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes

Courtesy of chef Andrew Carmellini The Dutch.

by

Longer days and warmer nights call for simplicity at the dinner table. The Dutch Chef Andrew Carmellini answers the call with this classic crab cake, elevated with creamy avocado, a flavor-packed, sweet-and-sour chow chow, and a tangy buttermilk dressing. “The chow chow adds texture to balance the creaminess of avocado and umami-packed crab,” he says.

Carmellini encourages home cooks to “add their own flair” and use this recipe as a guide without getting too bogged down by the details. “My grandmother never used a scoop when she made crab cakes, so if you don’t have a scoop don’t get stuck! Use your hands and keep going.”

Crab cakes work equally well as an appetizer or as a stand-alone light summer supper. Or you can follow the chef’s lead and incorporate them into a larger feast. “[It’s] a great one to share with friends and family over some good music, Hoppin’ John, cider- glazed pork rack, sweet corn, succotash, peel-and-eat Gulf shrimp, and a big stack of honey butter biscuits.”

He suggests ending with a slice of homemade sour cherry pie to round out the festive experience. (300 12th Ave S.; thedutchnashville.com)

Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes

Courtesy of Chef Andrew Carmellini The Dutch

For the crab cakes:

  • 12 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat 
  • 1⁄2 cup white onion, diced small 
  • 1⁄2 cup celery, diced small
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard 
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1⁄2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter

For the buttermilk dressing:

  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2⁄3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped or grated into a paste
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco
  • 1⁄3 cup lemon juice
  • 1⁄2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1⁄4 garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons chives, chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons basil, stems removed and chopped fine
  • 2 tablespoons chervil, chopped

For the chow chow:

  • 1⁄4 head green cabbage, core removed
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and halved
  • 1 bell pepper, seeds, and stem removed
  • 1 green tomato, core removed

For the chow chow pickle:

  • 4 cups white wine vinegar
  • 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
  • 1⁄3 cup salt
  • 1 tablespoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed

To finish the dish:

  • 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 3⁄4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 whole avocados
  • 1 cup parsley leaves, stems removed
  • 1 cup chervil, stems removed
  • 1⁄4 cup chives, sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

To prepare the crab cakes: 

  1. In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, and sweat the diced onion and celery until translucent. Set aside to cool.
  2. Next, carefully clean the crabmeat to ensure that there are no shells left behind.
  3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the cooled onion and celery with the remaining ingredients, leaving out the crab. Gently add in the crabmeat, carefully folding it into the mixture so as to not overwork the crabmeat.
  4. Using a 3 to 4-ounce ice cream scoop, portion out the crab cake mixture, pressing the crab mix into the scoop and leveling off any excess to ensure all patties are uniform in size.
  5. Form the portioned crab, mix into patties approximately 1 inch thick and 3 inches wide. Cover and chill until ready to cook.

To prepare and make the chow chow:

  1. Add all the ingredients for the chow chow pickle to a medium sized sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking to ensure all the salt and sugar is dissolved. 
  2. While the liquid is heating, grate the green cabbage, white onion, red bell pepper and green tomato into a casserole dish large enough to hold the vegetables and pickling liquid.
  3. Once the liquid is at a rolling boil, pour directly into the casserole dish over the vegetables and allow to steep to room temperature. 
  4. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

To make the buttermilk dressing:

  1. Start by grating your garlic on a microplane or chopping finely until a paste is formed. 
  2. Add garlic to a medium sized mixing bowl with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Whisk well to incorporate, ensuring that the dressing is smooth with no lumps. 
  3. Cover and refrigerate.

To finish the dish:

  1. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, sear the crab cakes in vegetable oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and warm in the center.
  2. While the crab cakes are cooking, carefully quarter the avocados, removing the peel and seed. Thinly slice each quarter avocado lengthwise and gently press flat against the cutting board to fan out. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, season the halved cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in a cup of the chow chow with liquid to the bowl and stir gently to combine.
  4. Gently spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the buttermilk dressing onto the center of each serving plate and spread with the back of a spoon in a circular spinning motion. Working clockwise, add one portion of avocado to each plate followed by one crab cake and dressed tomatoes. Top with a salad of parsley, chives, and chervil drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.