Crab Cakes

So once again I had leftover crab meat. And one of my favorite things to eat is crab cakes! I don't like them overly saturated with mayonnaise though, so I only use enough to keep the cakes together.  I also experimented here with the seasonings, and was excited to find how great it came together.  Crab cakes are like meatballs though- you can really add anything you want.  So try these first, and then experiment on your own!

What I used:

shelled crab meat

cilantro

green onions

ground mustard

chili powder

salt/pepper

mayonnaise

Italian style bread crumbs (plain is fine too)

1 egg

Canola oil

1 lemon

1. Run your fingers through all the crab meat to double check there are no pieces of shell.  Also, this helps break up the larger clumps.

2.  Chop the green onion and cilantro and add them to the crab meat. Then add the seasonings:  salt pepper, dry mustard, chili powder. Mix to combine.

3.  Spoon in some mayonnaise, maybe a tablespoon worth and squeeze in some mustard too.  Stir the mixture so that everything is incorporated together.  Now is the time to taste it and adjust the seasonings.  Once you add the egg you will have to cook it to taste it, so add more salt or pepper or spices if you want more, or even more mustard or mayonnaise.

 4.  Time to add the binding ingredients-the 1 egg, beaten with a fork or whisk, and some breadcrumbs.  Stir to combine.  The mixture should look wet, but should stick together if you make a patty. So add more breadcrumbs if you find that it's not sticking together enough.

5.   Next pour a someo canola or vegetable oil in a deep pan and heat it up over medium to medium high heat. 

 6.  While the oil is heating up, make your crab cakes.  Form a patty, just like you are making hamburgers, and dip into a bowl of breadcrumbs to coat the entire cake.  Set aside on waxed paper.

7.  Test the oil to see if it's ready.  Take a pinch of the breadcrumbs you used to coat the crab cakes and throw it in the oil in the pan. If it starts to sizzle and bubble right away,  the oil is hot enough, if not, wait. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat.  It may get hotter faster, but it will also burn your food. Once the oil is ready, place the crab cakes in the pan giving enough room so you can turn them over.

8.  Cook each crab cake about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they get golden brown. 

9.  While they are cooking, slice up some lemon to serve along side the crab cakes.  

Tips:

* When seasoning the crab cakes, remember that you can always add, but its hard to take away.  So go light on the salt or pepper or anything you are not sure of and then taste before adding the egg.  If you need to add more.

* Want to serve these for dinner with a salad? Make larger hamburger size cakes.  Want to use them for an appetizer? Make them about half the size. 

Spinach Orzo Salad

This was one of my very firsts posts, however due to the beginning of warmer weather...or wishing for warming weather, I thought I'd re-post it. This time I have pictures too! Hope you enjoy!

The salad marks the beginning of summer for me. I got this recipe once from a Rachel Ray cookbook, and I don't know how close it is the original, since I do it mainly from memory. It's really easy and can be done in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 bag baby spinach
1 box grape tomatoes
1 cup orzo pasta
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Handful of basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to the package.

While its cooking, dump the spinach and tomatoes in a large serving bowl.  Add the lemon zest too.

Chop up the basil and put it aside to add at the end.

Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and put it back into the pot or the strainer. Drizzle in some olive oil, just enough to make it not stick, then add in the salt, pepper and garlic powder-a few shakes of each should be good. Add the juice of the lemon as well and stir to combine.

The orzo mixture is then added to the spinach mixture and tossed to combine. Top with the basil and cheese, and toss a few more times. Taste, then add more seasoning if needed.

Tips:
*Any kind of tomato can be used in this salad, just cut them into small pieces to make it easier to eat.
*I like to add grilled chicken or shrimp to this to make a complete meal.
*Once made, this will keep in the fridge for a couple days, sometimes tasting better the next day.
*Don't worry about adding the hot orzo to the cold spinach. The heat will wilt it a bit and bring out the oils of the lemon zest too, making it more tasty!

Apple Turnover Toast

This is one of my favorite breakfasts or nighttime snacks.  It still gives you a similar taste of an apple turnover, but it is healthier than the original, so you can feel good about eating it!

What you need:

1 half an apple

1/4 cup -fat cottage cheese

1 slice of whole wheat toast

Cinnamon and sugar

What you do:

1. Toast your bread.  While that is toasting, dice the apple into small squares. 

2. Once the bread is toasted, let it cool for a minute. Spread the cottage cheese evenly over the toast.  

3. Next, add a layer of apples and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Enjoy!

Roasted Roots

Again, Trader Joes deserves the compliments here for this easy side dish. In the vegetable section, there is a box of pre-cut mix of sweet potatoes, yams, and turnips. I decided they would make excellent roasted vegetables to go along with the chicken I was making for dinner. This is definitely not a recipe you measure. Eyeball everything and you should be fine.

Ingredients:

Any vegetables, cut into cubes for roasting
Olive Oil
Dried sage and thyme
Garlic powder
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Place the vegeatbles into a glass baking dish.
2. Drizzle olive oil over them enough to coat evenly.

3. Season the vegeatbale, using about 1 tsp each of sage and thyme and garlic powder. Toss to coat evenly.

 

4.  Roast at 425* F for about 20-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown.  Check on them while cooking and toss them so they cook evenly.

Farro Salad

My cousin Anna from Italy came to visit last summer and made a farro salad for my family. She showed me one method, but after talking to her, I realized it's somewhat like a pasta salad, where there are thousands of recipes for it, and you pretty much add what you like. So you can follow my lead and use these ingredients or add whatever you enjoy. 

Farro is a grain found in the Tuscany region of Italy and it can be found here in the states, but mostly in stores like Whole Foods. Here it is called spelt, so if you find that you can substute it in this recipe or even use a different grain like brown rice or barley. If all else fails, use a small pasta like orzo.

Ingredients:

1 cup farro

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 can pickled beets, chopped

1/2 can baby corn, chopped

1/4 cup chopped onion, white, red or green

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, any kind, this time I used a variety

2 tbsp capers, chopped

1-2 tbsp Olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: diced cooked chicken breast

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water. Add the farro and cook for about 30 minutes. It will be done when it is soft like pasta but still with a little bite to it. Drain the farro when finished and put it into a bowl.

2. While the farro is cooking, chopped all of the ingredients and add it to a large bowl.

3. Add the cooked farro to the bowl and drizzle with olive oil, probably a couple tablespoons worth. Add the red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

4. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then taste. Add more salt and pepper or vinegar if needed. Keep in a air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week. This amount will make enough for 5-6 servings.

Antipasto

Antipasto is the Italian word for appetizer, but for my family it refers to this specific dish.  We make it every year for Christmas. Sometimes I like to make it just to eat for lunch with crackers or to top a salad. It's really easy to make, and uses a lot of ingredients that you can keep on hand. You can also make it ahead of time and freeze it for later. And trust me, it is not a very fishy dish, even though there is a whole can of tuna in it.

Ingredients:

1 can tuna in oil (do not discard the oil)

1 small jar Giardineira (pickled vegetables)

1 small can of mushrooms.

1 small can of black olives

1 small jar marinated artichokes
1-2 tbsp of capers

1 can tomato sauce

An assortment of crackers and/or sliced baquette pieces

Directions:

1. Pour the giardeineria into a bowl and cover with water. You want to get rid of some of the briney taste. Let soak for about ten minutes. After soaking, strain the vegetables and rinse a couple times to get rid of any extra brine.  You don't want to add any unnecessary liquid to the antipasto.

2. All of the canned ingredients can be strained as well, except for the tuna. The oil in the tuna has lots of flavor and will give it a good texture.

3. Next, dump all ingredients except the tomato sause into a food processor. Pulse until it is all chopped finely. You may need to stop to stir once or twice to get all the large chucks chopped.

4. Once the mixture is finely chopped, add in the can of tomato sauce. Mix until combined. Taste the Antipasto and add salt and pepper to your liking. Sometimes you may need to add a pinch of sugar as well to balance the acidity.

5. Place the mixture in a bowl, and serve with crackers and/or bagquette slices.