Crab Cakes

These dressed-up Mardi Gras crab cakes are a favorite in Mobile, Alabama.

  • Serves

    serves 4

Ingredients

For the Crab Cakes

  • 1 12 cups chicken stock
  • 1 12 cups heavy cream
  • 34 cup dry sherry
  • 2 celery ribs, trimmed and minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
  • 14 bunch parsley, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 34 cup toasted fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
  • Flour
  • 14 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 1 small shallot, peeled and chopped
  • 12 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp. chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp. dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Instructions

Step 1

For the crab cakes: Combine stock, cream, and sherry in a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1⁄2 cup, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 2

Combine celery, onions, parsley, egg yolks, bread crumbs, and cooled cream mixture in a large bowl. Fold in crab, then shape into 8 crab cakes about 3" in diameter. Arrange on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°. Dredge crab cakes in flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry crab cakes, turning once, until browned, about 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, 5–10 minutes.

Step 4

For the sauce: Sauté shallots in the same skillet for 1 minute. Add cream, stock, and sherry, and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter one piece at a time. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide sauce among four plates and place 2 crab cakes on top of sauce on each plate. Serve with Crab Salsa and boiled shrimp, if you like.
  1. For the crab cakes: Combine stock, cream, and sherry in a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1⁄2 cup, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine celery, onions, parsley, egg yolks, bread crumbs, and cooled cream mixture in a large bowl. Fold in crab, then shape into 8 crab cakes about 3" in diameter. Arrange on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Dredge crab cakes in flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry crab cakes, turning once, until browned, about 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, 5–10 minutes.
  4. For the sauce: Sauté shallots in the same skillet for 1 minute. Add cream, stock, and sherry, and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter one piece at a time. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide sauce among four plates and place 2 crab cakes on top of sauce on each plate. Serve with Crab Salsa and boiled shrimp, if you like.
Recipes

Crab Cakes

  • Serves

    serves 4

These dressed-up Mardi Gras crab cakes are a favorite in Mobile, Alabama.

Ingredients

For the Crab Cakes

  • 1 12 cups chicken stock
  • 1 12 cups heavy cream
  • 34 cup dry sherry
  • 2 celery ribs, trimmed and minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
  • 14 bunch parsley, trimmed and chopped
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 34 cup toasted fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
  • Flour
  • 14 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 1 small shallot, peeled and chopped
  • 12 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tbsp. chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp. dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Instructions

Step 1

For the crab cakes: Combine stock, cream, and sherry in a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1⁄2 cup, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 2

Combine celery, onions, parsley, egg yolks, bread crumbs, and cooled cream mixture in a large bowl. Fold in crab, then shape into 8 crab cakes about 3" in diameter. Arrange on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°. Dredge crab cakes in flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry crab cakes, turning once, until browned, about 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, 5–10 minutes.

Step 4

For the sauce: Sauté shallots in the same skillet for 1 minute. Add cream, stock, and sherry, and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter one piece at a time. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide sauce among four plates and place 2 crab cakes on top of sauce on each plate. Serve with Crab Salsa and boiled shrimp, if you like.
  1. For the crab cakes: Combine stock, cream, and sherry in a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1⁄2 cup, about 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine celery, onions, parsley, egg yolks, bread crumbs, and cooled cream mixture in a large bowl. Fold in crab, then shape into 8 crab cakes about 3" in diameter. Arrange on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Dredge crab cakes in flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry crab cakes, turning once, until browned, about 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, 5–10 minutes.
  4. For the sauce: Sauté shallots in the same skillet for 1 minute. Add cream, stock, and sherry, and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter one piece at a time. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide sauce among four plates and place 2 crab cakes on top of sauce on each plate. Serve with Crab Salsa and boiled shrimp, if you like.

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