Crab Cakes

Makes 10 medium cakes. You can make them larger if you wish but I find medium works best. Since I don’t add bread crumbs to the filling (just a little on the outside) the medium cakes are easier to turn. Plus I think two medium cakes are enough for a portion.

Ingredients

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat picked over for shells
1/4 cup red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup onion finely chopped
1/4 cup celery finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a medium bowl, carefully pick over the crab and remove any shells. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and seafood seasoning. Toss gently.
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pepper, and parsley.
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the crab mixture and carefully fold in the mayonnaise being careful not to break up the crab meat too much.
Use a muffin scoop form the crab mixture into 10 patties. Lightly press the crab cakes into the panko crumbs and transfer to a platter. Chill for 30 minutes or more.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the crab cakes and cook over medium heat until golden, approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn the crab cakes over gently with a wide spatula. Cook until golden brown, crispy and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.

Fettuccine With Lemon Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
8-10 oz fettuccine
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
Heat the butter in a skillet and add the lemon zest.
Drop the fettuccine into the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain.
Add cream to the butter and lemon zest mixture. Add the pasta and lemon juice and stir until just heated through. Add the Parmesan and toss. Serve with the crab cakes.

Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients

2-10 oz packages frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium and let the spinach cook slowly until tender and silky., about 15 minutes.