Inner Harbor Crab Cakes

One of my favorite seafoods is blue claw crab, especially soft shells in the early summer, which we unfortunately can’t get around here. While working and living near Baltimore I was able to develop an easy crabcake recipe inspired by Andrew Zimmern, and of course my favorite Inner Harbor restaurant “Miss Shirley’s”, down on Pratt Street.

Ingredients
CRABCAKES
8 oz. crab claw or lump meat chopped, drained and dried
10 crushed saltine crackers
1 extra-large or 2 small eggs beaten
2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise
2 chopped green onions
½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp grated fresh horseradish
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup corn meal
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp avocado or peanut oil

SAUCE
2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp cardamom crushed
salt and pepper to taste

On a flat plate mix the corn meal, panko, and Old Bay.
Combine the saltines, white parts of the green onions, Old Bay, horseradish, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Louisiana hot sauce, mayonnaise, and the egg (s) in a large bowl, gently combine. Additional mayo may be required to get the right consistency. Separate the mixture into 4 “piles’ (with large spoon) and roll into balls of equal size.
Roll the crab balls around in the corn meal panko mixture until well coated.
Heat the butter and oil in a large cast iron pan up to 350-375 °F, then place the balls in the pan and heat for a minute or so, then slowly press them out using a metal spatula. Cook on the first side for about 3 minutes (watching the heat), then when the bottom looks browned, gently flip over, heat the other side about 3 more minutes or until browned.
For the sauce, mix the homemade mayonnaise with the lemon juice and cardamom-add more lemon juice if too thick, then salt and pepper to taste.
I like to have these with corn fritters, or fried green tomatoes, and drizzle the sauce over both. Garnish with the green pieces of green onion.