OVEN BAKED CRAB CAKES

 OVEN BAKED CRAB CAKES

16 oz fresh lump crab meat, drained

1 large egg

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (plus more for serving)

16 saltine crackers, crushed (about 2-inch size pieces)

2 tablespoons softened butter (for greasing the baking sheet)

4 tablespoons salted melted butter, divided

Lemon wedges for serving

Whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, parsley, lemon juice, and all the seasonings until smooth and well combined. Pour this mixture gently over the crab meat. Sprinkle in the crushed saltine crackers, and using a spatula, carefully fold everything together. Try to preserve the large chunks of crab as much as possible.

Cover the bowl and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes—or up to a full day if you’re prepping ahead.

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Grease a baking sheet generously with softened butter. Now, divide the crab mixture into six portions, roughly 1/2 cup each. Form each one lightly into a mound—don’t compress them too much; you want them just held together. Place the crab cakes on the baking sheet, spaced a few inches apart. Spoon melted butter generously over the tops so it can seep into all those delicious little crevices. Bake immediately in the hot oven for 13–15 minutes, or until a golden crust forms on top. Once out of the oven, brush with a little more melted butter and finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon. Serve right away while they’re warm and crisp.

REMOULADE SAUCE

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon paprika

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 scallion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Pinch of cayenne

Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, paprika, garlic, scallion, lemon juice, onion powder, and cayenne.

SEAFOOD BOIL

Shrimp

Crab Legs

Smoked Sausage

Corn (on the cob)

Red Potatoes 

Old Bay

Fixings: cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lemon, butter, salt & pepper

Prep seafood ingredients as necessary (leave shells on shrimp, though!). Slice sausage in 3 inch chunks, half large potatoes, and cut corn in half. Fill pot with water. Put in first layer of ingredients (whatever takes the longest to cook). In our case we added potatoes, a sprinkle of Old Bay, sausage, a sprinkle of Old Bay, and then corn with a sprinkle of Old Bay. Once the water comes to a boil, we cooked it for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and the crab legs. Once the crab legs are warmed through and the shrimp are pink, you’re all done! Serve with melted butter and the rest of the fixings! Dump on to brown paper and dig in!

SPRING ROLLS

½ bunch cilantro, stems removed

1 oz. basil, sweet or Thai, stems removed

1 lb. boiled shrimp 36/40 count, peeled and de veined

4 oz. Vermicelli rice noodles, cooked

2 cups matchstick carrots

2 cups shredded lettuce

1 large cucumber, cut into 3-inch long ¼-inch strips

12 rice papers 

Fill a large shallow pan or dish with 1-2 inches of warm water. You’ll want the dish to be large enough to fit a piece of rice paper into it with a little wiggle room around the sides. Dip one piece of rice paper into the warm water and let soak for 5 seconds.  And not a second longer!  The paper will still feel a bit firm when you pull it out but it will continue to soften while you add your filling ingredients. Remove the paper from the water and place it on a plastic cutting board. Add a tablespoon of cilantro, a few basil leaves, 2-3 shrimp, ¼ cup vermicelli noodles, 2-3 strips of cucumber, 1-2 Tbsp. carrots, and 1-2 tbsp. shredded lettuce to the middle of the rice paper. Place just enough of these ingredients into the roll without overfilling it. If you have too many ingredients you’ll have a difficult time rolling it up. Fold over the bottom edge of the rice paper that is closest to you to cover up the ingredients. Fold the right side of the paper over. And then fold the left side over.  It should look like an opened envelope at this point. This is a little easier if you hold the paper with both hands. If it crinkles up a little bit, it’s totally okay! Just keep going. Roll the rice paper and ingredients like a burrito beginning from the side that is closest to you until it makes a tight spring roll. Repeat with the remaining filling ingredients and rice paper until you have 12 spring rolls. Serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

SUSHI BAKE

 SUSHI BAKE

2 cups cooked short grain rice (sushi rice)

mirin

sesame oil

furikake 

kewpie mayo

1 cup imitation crab, chopped

3 green onions, sliced

3 oz cream cheese

Toppings: roasted seaweed (nori sheets), cucumber, sushi, ginger, avocado slices

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 8x8 baking dish, add rice and drizle with mirin, sesame oil and furikake.  In a separate bowl add crab, green onions cream cheese and kewpie mayo.  Mix it all together and spread evenly over the seasoned  rice. Sprinkle more furikake, drizzle some sriracha and kewpie mayo and bake at 350F degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with roasted seaweed (nori sheets), cucumber, sushi, ginger, avocado slices.  

THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER

THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER

3/4 c. butter melted

1 c. flour

1 c. celery finely diced

1 c. onions finely diced

1 c. leeks finely diced

3-4 cups red potatoes diced

3/4 c. clams 

3/4 Tbsp. fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 Tbsp. salt

3/4 Tbsp. whole thyme

6 bay leaves

4 shakes Tabasco sauce

3 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. clam juice

2 quarts half & half

Combine melted butter and flour in a glass baking dish, bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crumbly. In a large skillet, soften celery, onion, and leeks in a little butter until soft and slightly transparent. Remove from heat and place in a large pot with remaining ingredients EXCEPT half & half and butter-flour mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and no longer crunchy.  Stir butter-flour mixture into chowder until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat and stir in half & half until blended and smooth. Heat to serving temperature (do not bring to a boil), stirring occasionally. It should be creamy and smooth. Add salt & pepper for extra flavor.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL DRINK

3 quarts tomato juice
1 14 oz bottle catsup
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cans shrimp

Chill.  Serves 25.

FRESH SHRIMP & AVOCADO SALSA

1 large tomato, diced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ cup red onion, diced

1 can of mini shrimp

1 package of fresh salsa powder [found in produce section]

1 avocado, diced

Combine ingredients, except avocados, and mix well.  Gently stir in avocados and chill.  Serve with tortilla chips.

MEDITERRANEAN SHRIMP BOWL

--Better Homes and Gardens

Prepare in a large, clear trifle dish or individually in small cocktail glasses.

1 ½ pounds fresh shrimp [peeled, deveined, and cooked]

½ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons each finely chopped shallot & snipped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon lemon zest & 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

4 ounces, ricotta salata cheese, coarsely crumbled

1 ½ cup grape tomatoes or pear-shaped tomatoes

½ cup drained capers

½ teaspoon salt

In large resealable plastic bag placed inside of a bowl, combine all ingredients & marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours. To serve, place tomatoes & capers in serving bowl. Top with shrimp & marinade & sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with capers.

BETH'S SHRIMP DIP

1 cup whipping cream
4-6 oz. softened cream cheese
16 oz. cottage cheese
1 can drained shrimp
Lawry's season salt/Dill Weed

Whip cream until thick, add next two ingredients, add shrimp and season to taste. Serve with crinkle potato chips.

SHRIMP PLATTER

1 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cup cocktail sauce
1 cup of fresh shrimp
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 of a green pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 green onions, chopped

Mix the first three ingredients and spread on a platter. Next layer the cocktail sauce, then the shrimp, then the cheese, then the green pepper, then the tomato and then the green onions. Each layer gradually narrows so you can see each color/layer. Serve with crackers.