Crab Cakes a la Chef John Ash

I vowed after taking the cooking class with Chef John Ash last month that I would take a chance on making crab cakes at home.  Yesterday evening was the fateful day of reckoning!

Crab Cakes

Chef John Ash

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten
5 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp minced parsley
1 tbsp minced green onion
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, white preferred
salt, white pepper, and hot sauce to taste
1 lb fresh cooked Dungeness crab meat, picked over for shells
1/2 cup coarse dry bread crumbs, panko preferred
clarified butter or olive oil

Steps

1.  Combine egg, mayonnaise, parsley, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a large bowl.  Stir to combine.
2.  Stir in crab and then half of the bread crumbs.  Do not over mix.  The cakes should just hold together and be delicate in texture.  Mix in additional bread crumbs if too moist.
3.  Form into 8 mini cakes.
4.  Lightly dust both sides with additional bread crumbs.
5.  Saute in clarified butter or oil until lightly browned on both sides - about 3 minutes per side.
6.  Serve with a little dollop of aioli on top.

Smoked Paprika Aioli

Chef John Ash

Ingredients

4 blanched garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp smoked paprika or to taste
Salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice to taste

Steps

1.  Add all ingredients to a mini food processor and pulse until smooth.
2.  Store refrigerated for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend before using.  Makes 3/4 of a cup.

The Final Product

Making crab cakes has always seemed like a daunting task.  The meat is so delicate that I always worry about over working it.   After taking this class with Chef John Ash, I felt more confident and the cakes turned out wonderfully.  I will add that I did not have all of the ingredients listed above.  I traded out the green onions for some Penzey's Minced Onions, used light mayonnaise, and regular Worcestershire sauce.  I kept my mixing of ingredients to a minimum and almost all of my 7 crab cakes (okay I made them bigger) stayed together.  I can't wait to make them again!

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup

June Gloom has hit our area.  It has been relatively gloomy for most of the morning to mid-afternoon.  It makes me yearn for hearty soups, even though it is not exactly what one would call "cold" outside. This soup really hit the spot.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup

from Family Fresh Meals

Ingredients

24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
1/4 cup diced onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1lb ground beef, browned
4 cups of loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
4 cups beef broth
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
16 oz refrigerated  cheese tortellini (you can also use frozen, just add 30 more minutes to cooking time)

Steps

1. Combine spaghetti sauce, water,  meat, onions, garlic, carrots,  spinach, cream cheese, beef  broth, and mushrooms in a slow-cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 hours, on HIGH  for 5  hours.   

2. Before adding in the tortellini, take a whisk to your soup to break up any chunks of cream cheese. Stir in tortellini.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until tender and hot.

The Final Product

Wow!  This was totally yummy.  I ate three bowls.  Fantastic - and I don't really like vegetables.  For your reference, I used a 24 oz jar of Bertolli Tomato and Basil sauce.  I used a whole package of baby spinach because I didn't feel like measuring.  My cream cheese was still quite chunky after 7 hours so I had to do a bit of mixing to get the consistency a bit creamier.  I have two ideas for the next time that I throw this in the slow cooker:

1. Cut the spinach in half and add a drained can of kidney beans.
2. Use 8 oz of soft cream cheese and not a block - the soft cream cheese from a container tends to meld better in the slow cooker.

Now go make this soup on those down and dreary days - it will certainly brighten your day.