My crab mentality

I must admit that there are times when I can be so guilty of crab mentality if I cannot muster enough strength to sort of exhale this negative feeling (Ohhh like a yogini!) But wait, before this gets too serious for my own good- this crab mentality means driving every weekend to Redondo Beach so I can feast on this delectable crustacean called “crab”:-)It's really a struggle trying to control myself to keep my indulgence on this sinful but delicious seafood to a minimum. Sometimes I just eat king crab legs- at least they have less cholesterol… so I believe ha ha ha ha ha. I love steamed crabs first but there are two other crab meat concoctions on my fave list which get the thumbs up whenever I serve them to my friends. Crab cakes and crab rangoon. They're easy to prepare and here's how...





CRAB RANGOON

Crab rangoon or crab wonton is a mixture of crab meat, cream cheese, scallions and seasonings wrapped in wonton wrappers into small triangles, deep fried in vegetable or canola oil then dipped in sweet and sour sauce. I'd rather make them myself because I want them plump and filled with real crab meat.

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces fresh crab meat or canned crab meat, drained and flaked
1/2 teaspoon Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 1/2 green onions, finely sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 package wonton wrappers
slightly beaten egg for sealing the ends of the wontons
Oil for deep-frying

Directions:

Combine the crab and the cream cheese. Mix in the remaining filling ingredients one at a time.
On a flat surface, lay out a wonton wrapper in front of you so that it forms a diamond shape. Wet the edges of the wonton.
Add a heaping teaspoon of filling to the middle, and spread it out toward the left and right points of the diamond so that it forms a log or rectangular shape (otherwise the wrapper may break in the middle during deep-frying).
Fold over the edges of the wrapper so that it forms a triangle shape. Seal the edges by brushing with the beaten egg
Cover the completed Crab Rangoon with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out while preparing the rest.
Heat wok and add oil for deep-frying. When oil is ready (the temperature should be between 360 - 375 degrees), carefully slide in the Crab Rangoon, taking care not to overcrowd the wok. Deep-fry until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Cool and serve with sweet and sour sauce or chili dip.




CRAB CAKES



I hate crab cakes that are loaded with so much extenders or extra stuffing that I can hardly taste the crab. The best crab cake for me is moist inside and seasoned just right that it can stand on its own even without having a dipping sauce to serve it with. This recipe was given by a friend. I have made changes to it and the result is yummy crab cakes!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1/2-1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 lb cooked crab meat, flaked
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs,
Salt and pepper to taste
panko crumbs for dredging
Butter and oil for frying

Directions:

Mix together the parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, eggs and mayonnaise. Add the crab meat and crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and combine well but gently, so you don't break up the crab meat. Divide the mixture into 6 to 8 portions; flatten gently into thick patties. Coat each patty lightly with crumbs. If possible, refrigerate for 30 minutes before sautéeing. Heat butter and a little oil, enough to generously cover the bottom, in a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the crab patties, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately, with tartar sauce.