Friday Night Crab Cakes

Crab cakes are about as American as apple pie—and as regionally diverse as our country itself. Start with our classic Maryland Crab Cakes recipe; then take the crispy patties on a national tour by adjusting the seasonings, making stops from sea to shining sea.

CLASSIC MARYLAND CRAB CAKES

This is the mother of all crab cake recipes and the standard by which others are judged.

Combine 1 lightly beaten egg, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons Old Bay® or other seafood seasoning,

and 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves in a large bowl; mix well. For breading, remove crusts from 2 slices white bread; tear bread into very small pieces and add to bowl. Working with your hands, gently fold 1 pound cooked lump crabmeat or 3 (6-ounce) cans drained crabmeat into egg mixture, keeping crab pieces whole. Gently shape crab mixture into 4 patties. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add crab cakes; cook for about 6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and heated through. If desired, serve crab cakes with tartar sauce. Makes 4 servings.

To make Florida-style crab cakes:

Follow Classic Maryland Crab Cakes recipe, deleting seafood seasoning and white bread. Add 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard and ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce to the crab mixture. For breading, combine ¼ cup yellow cornmeal and ¼ cup dry bread crumbs in a small bowl; mix well. Dip crab patties in cornmeal mixture on both sides before cooking in butter. If desired, serve with fresh fruit salsa.

To make Louisiana-style crab cakes:

Follow Classic Maryland Crab Cakes recipe, deleting seafood seasoning and butter. Add ½ cup finely chopped celery, ⅓ cup finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper, 3 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the crab mixture. Cook crab cakes in about 3 tablespoons olive oil. If desired, serve with tartar sauce.

To make Pacific Northwest crab cakes:

Follow Classic Maryland Crab Cakes recipe, reducing seafood seasoning to ½ teaspoon and deleting butter and white bread. Add ¼ cup minced green onions, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard and 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel to the crab mixture. For breading, dip each crab cake on both sides in panko bread crumbs, pressing panko gently into crab cake surfaces. Cook in about 3 tablespoons canola oil. Serve, if desired, with lemon wedges and Sriracha sauce.

To make Texas Gulf Coast crab cakes:

Follow Classic Maryland Crab Cakes recipe, deleting seafood seasoning and butter. Add ¼ cup finely chopped onion, ¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper, ¼ cup finely chopped celery, ¼ cup minced cilantro and 1 minced jalapeño to crab mixture. Cook patties in about 3 tablespoons canola oil. Serve, if desired, with fresh corn salsa.