Crab Enchiladas

Like many people at the start of a new year, I attended a crab feed.  I didn't like crab until I started having to work a crab feed and got fed for free.  So now I love it!  And you can't leave without  leftovers! So what do you do with a whole bowl full of crab? First you have to shell it - a  long tedious process, but goes fast when you are catching up on Netflix.  Then you make something good.  This recipe is my version of crab enchiladas.  It's light and not fishy tasting at all.  I used healthier ingredients, like low-carb tortillas, and low fat cheese - and I didn't really miss the real stuff. However, if that is not appealing to you, by all means bring on the carbs and fat!



What I used:
 
shelled crab meat
1 can corn, drained
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, chopped
handful cilantro, chopped
low-carb tortillas

low fat "mexican style" shredded cheese

1 jar salsa verde (probably should have used 1 1/2 - 2 for this much, depending on how much sauce you like

sour cream
glass baking dish

What I did:

1.  First I prepared all my ingredients-drained the corn, chopped the tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.  I also ran my fingers through the shelled crab to break it up and make sure no shells were left behind.

2.  Next I prepared the enchiladas.  On each tortillas, I put about a tablespoon of crab meat, then sprinkled on some corn, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro.  I topped it off with a small handful of shredded cheese.   

3.  Once filled, roll the enchilada and place in a glass baking dish.  As you can see, I ended up making enough to fill two glass dishes.

4.  Once all the enchiladas are completely assembled, pour the salsa verde over the top and sprinkle with more shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350* for about 30 minutes or until the cheese and sauce bubbles.  You can remove the foil towards the end if you want the top to brown slightly. 

5.  When ready to serve, dollop some sour cream on top. Enjoy!!

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.