Crispy Asian Crab Cakes

The perfect crab cake, in some circles, is a topic as hotly debated as global warming. I feel robbed, close to tears, when dining out and ordering a crab cake which turns out to be a bread cake.

Embarrassing Richard, I’ve learned to quiz the waiter as to the ratio of filler to crab before ordering.

With crab cakes, you get what you pay for and a crab-packed cake, cooked with fresh jumbo lump crab and a minimalist’s deft hand, comes at a price.

Feeling festive and flush? Select this Rolls Royce of the crab world–sweetly tender and delicious, exquisite jumbo lump crab meat is surely one of life’s great pleasures. When making jumbo lump crab cakes at home, skip the bread crumbs and bind the crab with a beaten egg and flour. A pinch of Old Bay Seasoning would be a nice touch.

Belt-tightening in order? Crab cakes can be deliciously proletarian, sensitive to your purse while pleasing your palate. I often make savory, budget-friendly crab cakes from canned claw meat found in the refrigerated sections of many local groceries.

Crab claw meat is the “dark meat” of the crab and stands up to the bolder, Asian seasonings in this recipe. I give them a crispy panko crust and watch them vanish like proverbial hot cakes.

Whatever crab meat you select for your cakes, you must refrigerate your crab cakes at least 2 hours prior to cooking. If you ignore this important step, your crab cakes may fall apart, yielding crab crumbles.

I’ve made smaller versions of these cakes and served them as appetizers. They require a bit more fuss but are great party food, especially yummy paired with a good Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.

Let them eat (crab) cake!