Crab Cakes

1 roll of butter crackers, crushed finely
2 large eggs
3 to 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 green onions, white and green parts, minced
1 stalk of celery, minced
1/2 red or green bell pepper, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 pound of lump crab meat
oil and butter for pan frying

Instructions:

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the eggs, mayonnaise, scallions, celery, bell pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice and the seasonings.  Stir in about 1/4 cup cracker crumbs. Add the crab meat and mix gently. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise. (Add additional mayonnaise if the mixture will not hold together and is still dry.) Shape the mixture into 10 patties for dinner portions or 20 tiny cakes for appetizers.  (Each person should be served a couple of dinner cakes if it is a main course)

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap.  When making the patties, lightly sprinkle them with a little cracker crumbs and place crumb side down on plastic wrap.  Then sprinkle the tops with more cracker mixture, wrap air tight and freeze for several hours on the tray.  When frozen, wrap cakes individually for use when you want them.

To cook, heat a large skillet barely coated with oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the frozen crab cakes and cook covered until golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Yield: Makes 5 dinner servings or about 10 appetizer servings if you are serving other appetizers

This recipe can easily become stuffed Cremini mushroom caps with the addition of about 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped mushroom.  Simply take the crab mixture with some added Parmesan and chopped mushroom, put it in hollowed out Cremini or button mushroom caps and top with cracker crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese.  These can be frozen on the plastic lined baking sheets or simply baked in a 375 degree oven on parchment lined baking sheet for about 20 to 30 minutes until hot and lightly browned.

LOWCOUNTRY SEAFOOD STEW

1 lb. bay scallops

1 pint crab

3 lbs. white fleshed fish, bones and skin removed

12 oz. cooked bacon with 1/4 cup bacon oil reserved

2 large yellow onions, diced small

3 stalks celery, diced small

2 T. minced garlic

1 cup white wine

2 cups fish stock or clam juice

1/2 t. ground cumin

cayenne pepper to taste

2 bay leaves

1 t. thyme

salt to taste

5 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cubed and blanched for 15 minutes

1/2 pound okra, thickly sliced

2 lbs. peeled and diced tomatoes with juice

2 t. sugar to cut acid in the tomatoes

               Saute onions, celery, and garlic in bacon oil until onions and celery become tender but not browned.  Add okra and saute for 5 minutes longer.  Add wine and reduce for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, potatoes, and sugar and cook another five minutes.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Add fish and crab with seasonings and cook until tender.  Add scallops and cook 2 minutes more.  Stir in crumbled bacon and adjust seasonings.  Serve in gumbo bowls with rice if desired.

SHRIMP & GRITS

1 lb. of medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined

6 slices bacon

oil

2 cups sliced fresh white mushrooms

1 cup sliced scallions

1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced

4 t. fresh lemon juice

dash of Tabasco sauce

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 recipe Cheese Grits

     Rinse the shrimp and pat dry on paper towels.  Cook bacon, drain and crumble.  Saute mushrooms for 4 minutes.  Add scallions and garlic and saute lightly.  Add lemon juice, Tabasco, parsley, salt and pepper. Keep this mixture warm but avoid cooking further.  Saute shrimp in a separate pan until they curl and are pink.  This does not take long.  Season shrimp with salt and pepper to taste.  To serve: Put cooked cheese grits in flat style bowl and top with vegetables and shrimp.  Sprinkle cooked bacon on top.

CHEESE GRITS

1 cup stone ground grits

5 cups boiling water in deep sauce pan

1/4 t. ground white pepper

pinch or more of cayenne pepper

very small grating of nutmeg

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 T. butter

salt to taste

     Prepare grits by stirring grits into rapidly boiling water and continuing to stir constantly for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat so grits bubble lightly with top on.  Cook grits an additional 45 minutes.  Stir grits about every 5 minutes.  When they are done, add the remaining ingredients.