Crab Maison

Crab Maison

This is one of the most popular appetizers at the venerable French Quarter restaurant Galatoire's. It's a personal favorite of mine as well, and one that I simply can't resist getting whenever I dine there ('cause ... well, lump crabmeat is so damned good, and it's particularly good there, and this is a light and lovely way to dress it; it's simple, and full of flavor). I'll stop babbling now. Get the best lump white crabmeat you can afford. Your guests will love you for it. While we're on the subject, BE CAREFUL when you're folding the crabmeat into the other ingredients. The reason you just spent a fortune on this stuff is the big, beautiful lumps, so don't break them up! I see people shredding gorgeous lump crabmeat and I just wanna smack 'em.

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. high quality olive oil

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. Creole or Dijon mustard

1 tsp. small capers, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped

½ tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ tsp. kosher salt

⅛ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat

12 large leaves butter lettuce

4 slices tomato, halved



Directions

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, mustard, capers, parsley, salt, pepper, and scallions
2. Add crabmeat and fold gently to combine.
3. Place 3 leaves lettuce each on 4 salad plates.
4. Divide crab mixture evenly among plates and garnish with two half slices tomato.



Not having vine ripe tomatoes, these tomatoes gave this dish color, but not much flavor.
We all agreed it would have been even better with a freshly picked one!



Crab Cakes Recipe

In my opinion, the best crab cakes are more crab and less "cake." I want the ratio of filler to crab to be just enough to hold the shape. These beauties are all about the crab and simple enough to be made while some steaks are perfected on the BBQ out back. I made one batch and before the cooled down, they were gone.

Ingredients

1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard (same as ground mustard)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup cooking oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

3. Place patties on a lightly greased cook sheet. 

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Baking them firms up the patties and helps them stay together a bit.

5. Remove from oven.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

7. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

8. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

These were devoured before I could snap pictures! 

These were supper simple and were delicious! I will definitely make these again.

Enjoy!!