Recipe Idea: Crab Cakes

Here's what we think of crab cakes: NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM That's us gorging on the crab cakes that we made on our Little Griddle GQ-120 as soon as the camera was turned off. There was plenty for everyone though, because this recipe feeds a crowd - it makes about 10 large crab cakes, or at least twenty "party-bite" sized crab cakes.

Crab cakes are "gourmet" food that is really anything but fancy, and this is an easy recipe consisting mainly of fresh lump blue crab meat, crackers, and a little bit of mayonnaise, egg and seasoning. That's it! If you buy good crab, too much other stuff just obscures their delicious flavor. We tried to make these as crabby as we possibly could. Check out the video, then read below for how to make these. They are supremely good, and they taste even better eaten under the stars hot off your Little Griddle.

PRO TIP: Make extra.

To make the Crab Cakes, you will need:

- 1 pound fresh blue crab meat, preferably all lump (a mix of lump and claw also works well, and is almost as wonderful. It's just different).

- 1/4 Cup good bread crumbs

- 1/4 Cup crushed saltines (about 10 crackers)

- 1/4 Cup mayonnaise

- 1 egg, beaten

- Salt to taste.  We use 1/2 tsp./lb. of crab.

- Permissible additions: 1/4 tsp of Old Bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard or Worcestershire sauce (pick no more than two)

- Butter (please, please cook them in butter)

To prepare the crab cakes: 

In a medium bowl, mix saltines, mayonnaise, egg and any seasonings. Gently add drained crab meat and mix to combine, handling carefully to avoid breaking the meat lumps. Chill for a half hour in the refrigerator to set up. Place bread crumbs into a pan.

Working one cake at a time, form the crab mixture into patties and coat the patties with bread crumbs. Transfer to a plate. Pre-heat the griddle on your grill to medium heat (or an air temperature of around 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the grill hood closed).

Generously butter the surface of the griddle, and when butter has bubbled but not begun to brown place the crab cakes on the surface. Cook until golden brown on each side, approximately 6-7 minutes per side at medium heat. You may want to close the hood temporarily if the griddle surface temperature drops as cold food is placed on it.

THESE ARE SUPER GOOD: on a bed of lettuce, eaten with your hands, as a sandwich, on the beach, at a fancy dinner, in eggs Benedict, on a special occasion, and pretty much any time at all. We can't recommend this enough.