Cajun King Crab Cakes

Very few things make me as happy as crab cakes. Maryland, King, Creole...no matter what crab or spices are used, the outcome is rarely bad.
This past weekend, I decided to make Cajun King Crab Cakes. I had never made these before, but I had made something similar about a year ago called Creole Crab Burgers. This dish was good, but I remember it needing a little more flavor.
The solution was simple. Skip the Jonah Crab meat and go for the Alaskan King Crab.
King crab is so much more flavorful, and the texture really stands up to all of the mixing, and frying that is involved in making these delicious little treats.
Shucking 2 lbs of Alaskan King Crab is not an easy task, but well worth the effort in the end.
Give this recipe a try if you get a chance. These would be perfect served along side a nice thick NY Strip Steak. YUM!

Cajun King Crab Cakes

King Crab Cake Ready for the Fryer

Ingredients
2 lbs whole Alaskan King Crab Legs- Shoulder to tip
2 cups plain bread crumbs
2 tbs Spicy mustard (I use an apple/cinnamon spicy mustard: I'll supply a picture tomorrow)
Cajun Seasoning to taste
Granulated Garlic to taste
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Dried parsley to taste
Dried oregano to taste
Old Bay Seasoning to taste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 oz melted clarified butter
3 whole large eggs
Vegetable Oil for Frying
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
1/4 large red onion, minced
1 large stalk celery, minced

Directions
Thaw and rinse salt water glaze from the Alaskan King Crab legs. To remove the meat from the legs, take a leg, and break it by bending it backwards against the joint. Once you have a segment of leg broken off take your sea sheller and insert the pointed end into the shell. Using a can opening motion, move the sheller through the shell. Once the shell has been cracked, separate the shell and remove the interior meat. Be careful not to pull the cartilage with the meat.
Once you have the meat collected, put some vegetable oil in a deep skillet and begin heating it.
After the oil starts heating, combine all ingredients except for butter and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand. Once that is worked in, add the butter and work that in. Afterward, add all three eggs and mix well using your hands. Form crab cakes by rolling a 2 inch ball of the mixture between your hands and pressing until you have a patty about 1 inch thick.
To cook the crab cakes, place them gently in hot oil for 3 minutes per side. Finished crab cakes will be browned and crispy on both sides.

Meat Shucked from 2lbs of Alaskan King Crab Legs

Getting ready to shuck the King Crab

Lobster Gram has REALLY nice legs! There are only 2 legs per pound.

Lobster Gram King Crab legs are the whole leg shoulder to tip.

Alaskan King Crab from the Bearing Straight

Gorgeous King Crab Cakes

Everything tastes better when it's fried!

These King Crab Cakes will be a beautiful crispy brown once they are fried.

Lots of red pepper and red onion are the secret to making these Alaskan King crab cakes awesome!

The Perfect Cajun King Crab Cake

Mixing ingredients by hand is half the fun!

Fresh veggies bring this recipe to the flavor level I was searching for!

Grilled Alaskan King Crab Legs with Simple Seafood Marinade

Good Friday morning all! I hope everyone is having an awesome Friday and has some rockin' plans for Labor Day. I have a lot of relaxation planned for myself. Lobster Gram was cool enough to close the office all weekend long, so all of my lobster loving cohorts get a chance to have a nice long three day weekend. Thanks Dan!
So last night's dinner was awesome. I prepared some simple seafood marinade and grilled up some Alaskan King Crab legs from Lobster Gram on the indoor grill. I also brought home a Manhattan Clam Chowder (I could live on this soup) and a Cookies N' Creme Cake for dessert. I whipped up some fried potatoes to enjoy with the crab, and both the cameraman/sous chef and I were stuffed beyond reason when the meal was complete.
The crab legs were the most flavorful I have had in a long time. The simple seafood marinade augmented all of the natural deliciousness of the crab, and would actually go well on anything from Lobster to fin fish. I intend to try this one again with a lot of different types of seafood.
And on that note, here is the recipe and how to video for the Simple Seafood Sauce and Alaskan King Crab legs. Happy Eating foodies! See you all soon with some great images.


Simple Seafood Marinade for Grilling Alaskan King Crab Legs

Ingredients
2 lb. frozen cooked King crab legs, thawed & shelled
1/4 cup clarified. butter, melted
1 tbsp. mustard
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/8 cup dry parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste

Directions
Combine dry wine, butter, lemon juice, parsley, mustard and salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste. Brush the mixture on crab meat. Place crab meat on grill heated to medium. Brush the crab meat with the butter mixture and turn occasionally until heated through, 5 to 6 minutes.

Crab & Swiss Melt

This is a fantastic crab recipe. I love making this recipe on weekends and using it for lunches at work durring the week. It's an easy way to make sure you have a healthy, tasty and economical solution for lunch on the go!

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup cooked King Crab meat
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• hot pepper sauce to taste
  
• 4 thick slices Italian bread, cut in half
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Recipe Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until fluffy. Mix in crab, garlic, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Spread onto bread slices and top with Swiss cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cheese has melted and browned slightly. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
Source:Crab and Swiss Melt Recipe