Crab Cakes
Makes 6 Servings (2 crab cakes plus sauce); approximately 222 calories each.
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
4 cups defatted seafood stock
3 eggs, hard-boiled, whites only
1 and 1/4 cups onions, finely minced, in all
1 and 1/4 cups celery, finely minced, in all
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely minced, in all
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic , in all
5/8 cup green onions (green part only), finely minced
1 pound crab meat, picked over for cartilage
4 tablespoons plain, dry bread crumbs
One 12-ounce package 1% low fat cottage cheese
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt, in all
1 tablespoon imitation butter flakes
To Make Crab Mixture
Bring the seafood stock to a boil. Peel and cut the potato into a 1-inch dice, add it to the boiling stock and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain off and reserve the liquid, and mash the pot ato with a fork. Set aside.
Cut the hard-boiled egg whites into thin shreds.
Place a ten-inch skillet over high heat. Add 1 cup onions, 1/2 cup celery, 1/4 cup bell pepper and let it begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add 2 teaspoons Seafood Magic, cook 2 minutes, then turn heat down to medium and continue cooking 1 minute, stirring and shaking occasionally to brown
all sides. Add 1/4 cup onions, 1/4 cup celery and 1/2 cup of the seafood stock-potato liquid. Turn heat back up to high and use the stock to help you scrape up all the brown on the bottom of the skillet. Scrape and stir occasionally for 4 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup stock and continue cooking
8 minutes, scraping pan bottom occasionally. We're adding the stock in small amounts because the liquid evaporates more quickly this way, causing the mixture to brown and and caramelize for a lot of rich flavor. It should stick, and you should scrape it up, but don't let it burn! After 4 more
minutes add another 1/2 cup stock and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally, and remove from heat.
Place the vegetable mixture and the mashed potatoes in a food processor and blend until it's the consistency of thick mashed potatoes. Turn into a bowl and combine with the crabmeat, blending gently with your hands. Add 1 teaspoon Seafood Magic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup green onions, 1/2
cup celery, 1/4 cup bell pepper and egg whites. Blend again. Makes about 5 cups.
To Make the Sauce
Put cottage cheese into blender and process until the consistency of sour cream.
Place a small pan over high heat. Add 1/2 cup crabmeat mixture and cook about 2 minutes, until mixture starts sticking to pan. Stir and scrape up pan bottom, adding remaining seafood-potato stock, including the potato starch that has probably settled to the bottom. Continue cooking over
high heat 2 minutes, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon Seafood Magic and cook until it comes to a boil, about 1 more minute. Turn heat down to a simmer and slowly add 1 cup of the whipped cottage cheese cream, whisking constantly. Add 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the imitation
butter flakes and the remaining 2 tablespoons green onions. Continue whisking until mixture bubbles, and turn off heat.
To Serve
Place Teflon skillet over high heat. For each portion, scoop 3/4 cup crab mixture and form 2 patties. Press each side of each pattie in 1/2 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Brown in skillet about 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve each person 2 patties with 1/4 cup sauce.
Copyright by Chef Paul Prudhomme
