Mangia Mondays:: Virginia Crab Cakes

{Forgive me for my tardiness but I’m experiencing major technical difficulties over here this morning. Errrr.}

The recipes linked up to last week’s blog hop were fantastic and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this week! Thanks so much to everyone who participated and especially to Kristin at Delightfully Dowling who has coordinated this fun weekly event! If you have a recipe to share, please join in the fun and grab the link below.

With warmer weather heading our way I’m really looking forward to having friends and family over and enjoying some good food and drinks out on our deck. Crab cakes make a great appetizer, or even an entree when served with a salad. I’ve tried countless crab cake recipes over the years, and this one never fails to please. These cakes are simple to make and can be prepared in advance – bonus!

Virginia Crab Cakes
{Print Recipe}

Ingredients
2 cups fresh backfin crabmeat (approximately 3/4 lb.)
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
dash of hot sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay or Creole seasoning (optional)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated onion
1/2 cup cornmeal or plain breadcrumbs for coating
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
2 lemons, sliced for garnishing
tartar sauce

Pick through the crabmeat, removing any hard pieces (cartilege).
Whisk eggs and cream. Add hot sauce, Old Bay or Creole seasoning, Worcestershire, parsley, onion, and combine.
Combine crabmeat and breadcrumbs in small bowl and then add to liquid, mixing gently.
Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop the mixture, press down lightly, and then turn out crab cake by rapping the measuring cup onto your work surface. Flatten slightly with the back of the measuring cup.

Pour cornmeal or plain breadcrumbs into a plate or shallow bowl and coat each patty lightly.

Refrigerate crab cakes for 1 hour (chilling helps the cakes stay together when cooked).

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over moderate heat until shimmering. Cook crab cakes in two batches,  2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Serve immediately with lemon slices and tartar sauce.

Alternately, chill and reheat on a cookie sheet in an oven heated to 325 degrees just until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

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