Northwest Dungeness Crab Cakes

Dungeness crab is my favorite type of shell food. It also reminds me of Christmas eve as a child where my grandma had all you can eat crab. I got this recipe from "Pacific Passions Cookbook" by Karen Barnaby.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 12 crab cakes

Ingredients

• 5  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1⁄4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup milk
• 6  tablespoons flour
• 2  large  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 8  drops Tabasco sauce
• 2  teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups  dungeness crabmeat, picked over and squeezed dry
• 1 1⁄2 cups  breadcrumbs
• 1  large egg
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1  cup flour
•  vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Sauce the onion and celery until the vegetables are very soft but not brown. While they are cooking, heat the milk to a simmer.
2. Add the 6 tablespoons flour to the vegetables and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk. The mixture will be very thick. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Beat in the salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce and parsley. Spread onto a large baking sheet and cool completely. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the crab meat. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Form the mixture into 12 fat, hamburger-shaped cakes. Sprinkle a baking sheet with ½ cup of bread crumbs. Beat the egg with the water in a shallow bowl. Spread the flour and remaining breadcrumbs on separate plates. Coat each cake in flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs and place on the baking sheet.
5. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Without overcrowding, fry the crab cakes until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep the cooked crab cakes warm in a 200 F oven while frying the rest. Serve immediately.