By Fourth of July piazza fireworks Will's first, Will doesn't startle just watches colors, Robert holds him. The week was the life. The life was the cooking. The cooking was the love. And the love was the week, and the week was one of the weeks that stack together to become the years, and the years become the life, and the life is the woman at the stove who cooks and writes and loves and does not stop.
I made she-crab soup on Sunday — the anchor, the constant, the practice. The soup was perfect. The perfection was the practice. And the practice continues, one Sunday at a time, one bowl at a time, one life at a time, the woman stirring, the roux thickening, the kitchen warm, the family fed, the love alive.
The soup was the anchor, but the crab never leaves my kitchen — not really. After watching Will take in those Fourth of July colors with such quiet wonder, and feeling Robert hold him steady through all of it, I wanted to stay close to that feeling through the rest of the week. These Potato-Crab Cakes with Lime Butter are what I turn to when the crab pot is empty but the love isn’t — crisp and golden on the outside, warm and yielding inside, finished with a brightness that cuts right through. They are the Sunday made into Tuesday, the practice continuing, one cake at a time.
Potato-Crab Cakes with Lime Butter
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (cooled)
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs, plus more for coating
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, for frying
- For the Lime Butter:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix the cakes. In a large bowl, gently combine the crab meat, mashed potatoes, green onions, egg, Dijon mustard, Old Bay, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Fold carefully to keep the crab lumps as intact as possible.
- Shape and coat. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a round cake about 3/4-inch thick. Press each cake lightly into breadcrumbs on both sides to coat. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Make the lime butter. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, and garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and a pinch of salt, and set aside.
- Fry the cakes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the crab cakes in batches, 3—4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and heated through. Do not crowd the pan.
- Serve. Transfer crab cakes to plates and spoon warm lime butter generously over the top. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 680mg