Delicious Crab Meat Recipes

When my husband and I first started going together 12 years ago, we were at Inner Harbor in Baltimore eating dinner at the City of Lights restaurant. I had never tried crab meat before and my husband ordered crab cakes. I tried the crab meat, loved it, and I have been hooked ever since. Everytime we go out to eat where I know there is good seafood, I ordered some sort of crab dish - usually crab cakes. I enjoy making crab dishes at home as well as appetizers and for a main course.

Baked Crab Rangoon is an excellent appetizer to start off your party or meal with and they are delicious.

Baked Crab Rangoon

• 1 can (6 oz.) white crabmeat, drained, flaked
• 4 oz. 1/3 less fast Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 12 won ton wrappers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix crabmeat, cream cheese, onions and mayo.

Spray 12 medium muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup, allowing edges of wrappers to extend above sides of cups. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve warm. Garnish with copped green onions, if desired.

The following Crab Meat Appetizer is one I will make for the holidays and special occasions. No baking is required and preparation time is only about 15 minutes.

Crab Meat Appetizer

• 1/2 lb. crabmeat
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• Dash Worcestshire sauce
• Dash Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Seafood Cocktail Sauce (8 oz.)

Blend cream cheese and all other ingredients except cocktail sauce and crabmeat. Spread in a pie pan. Layer the crabmeat on the above mixture. Spread the sauce on top. Chill. Serve with crackers.

If you like to cook crab cakes with a little twist, then this next recipe for Spicy Walnut Crab Cakes is for you! You can serve these as an appetizer or as your main dish.

Spicy Walnut Crab Cakes

Coating

• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts

Crab Mixture

• 1 lb. fresh crabmeat, or four 6-oz. cans
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. chili sauce
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• lemon wedges
• tartar sauce

To prepare the coating, stir bread crumbs and walnuts in a small bowl or pie plate and set aside. Remove stray pieces of shell from fresh crap or drain canned crabmeat thoroughly to eliminate excess liquid.

Combine the crab mixture ingredients except for the canola oil, lemon wedges and tartar sauce. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. Cover the bowl and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Cover a platter or baking sheet with waxed paper and scoop up 1/3 cup of crab mixture to form crab cakes. Make the patties about 2 inches across. Gently press each patty into the walnut coating mixture and set formed cakes on waxed paper.

When all cakes are formed and coated, heat two tbsp. canola oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Cook for three minutes on each side or until golden.

Remove from skillet, drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce. Makes 16 cakes.

If you just like your crab cakes without all of the extras, then here is my other favorite that I make all of the time. I don't recommend using imitation crab meat. It just does not provide the same flavor. Most of your major grocery stores carry crab meat in the seafood section, or you can buy refrigerated crab meat in cans at the seafood section.

Crab Cakes

• 1 lb. crab meat
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• Bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients, except for bread crumbs. Toss lightly. Shape into cakes, roll in bread crumbs. Broil at 350 until browned.

When I first heard about this recipe for Crab Lasagna from a friend of my husband's, I didn't think it sounded good - even though crab meat is my favorite. I just couldn't imagine crab being made into a lasagna. But she promised me that it was absolutely delicious and she was right! I made the recipe and loved it!

CRAB LASAGNA

• 1/2 lb. lasagna or medium noodles
• 2 cans Cream of Shrimp soup (or you can substitute Cream of Mushroom soup)
• 2 cups, or 3 cans (6 oz. each) crab meat
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• Sprinkle of oregano or dill
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/2 lb. (2 cups) grated chedder cheese

Cook the noodles in boiling, salted water and drain. Combine the soup and drained crab in a saucepan and heat on low.

Blend the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, onion and seasonings in a bowl.

In a greased or sprayed 9 x 13 in. pan, layer half the noodles, then half the cheese mixture, then another layer each of noodles and cheese. Top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with the grated chedder cheese and continue baking 15 minutes longer.