Crab Season Begins

There are four seasons in South Louisiana. I’m not talking about Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. I’m talking about Crawfish, Crab, Shrimp and Oyster seasons. Now that crawfish season has come and gone, it’s time for crab season. Unfortunately, whole crabs are hard to come by here in Arkansas. You can still satisfy your cravings with crabmeat.

With that in mind, I have assembled a couple of recipes today that showcases the sweet meat of the Blue Crab. The first one can be used as an appetizer or entree, Cornbread Crab Cakes with Hot Pepper Glaze. The second is a favorable light pasta, Lemon-Ginger Pasta with Crab. Grab some crabmeat on your next trip to the market, and Let’s head to the kitchen!

Cornbread Crab Cakes with Hot Pepper Glaze

Here’s a different take on the popular crab cakes. They can be served without the Hot Pepper Glaze, if you prefer a less spicy accompaniment.

1 pound fresh Louisiana lump crabmeat

1 lemon

Olive oil

1 small red onion minced

1 small red bell pepper, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Hot sauce

3/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1 large egg

2 cups crumbled cornbread

1/2 cup grate Parmesan cheese

5 green onions, minced

Pick crab thoroughly; discard any bits of shell; set aside. Zest half-teaspoon from lemon rind; squeeze lemon, strain seeds, and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté four minutes. Add garlic; sauté one to two minutes and remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, Creole seasoning, and egg; whisk well. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, cornbread, Parmesan, green onions, and sautéed vegetables; mix well. Add crab; gently mix just until blended. Divide into 8 large or 16 small portions; shape into round cakes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Heat one tablespoon oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes; cook three minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining crab cakes. Serve with Hot Pepper Glaze.

Hot Pepper Glaze

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 shallots, minced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons Creole mustard

3/4 cup hot pepper jelly

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley.

Heat oil in a small skillet; sauté shallots three minutes. Add lemon juice, Creole mustard and hot pepper jelly.; stir well. Simmer two minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley. Scrape into a small bowl and keep warm.

Lemon-Ginger Pasta with Crab

The best way to flavor your pasta is to cook it in something other than water. Here the pasta is flavored with Lemon-Ginger tea. Adding crab makes a great entree.

20 bags lemon-ginger herbal tea

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound thin spaghetti

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 to 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 pound lump fresh Louisiana lump crabmeat

2 cloves garlic, minced

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add all 20 teabags, remove from heat, and steep three minutes; carefully remove and discard used bags. Return water to a boil; add salt. Add spaghetti and simmer, stirring often, until spaghetti is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes; drain well. Place in a large bowl and toss well with two tablespoons olive oil, ground black pepper, and sliced green onions.

Pick over crab thoroughly; discard any bits of shell. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. add garlic; sauté one to two minutes. Add crab and sauté two minutes; add to pasta and toss, taking care not to break up crab lumps. Serve hot with shredded Parmesan.

You will find different kinds of crabmeat when you shop. Claw meat is darker and not as appealing to the eye. However, in my opinion, it give your more crab flavor. It’s great to use in crab cakes and stuffings. The Lump crabmeat is white and a better visual when serving them in a sauce or over pasta. Either one with give your tastebuds a shout of joy. Crabmeat is available year round. Don’t wait until the season changes.