By The NH lake weekend happened and it was exactly what we needed. Sean's cousin Danny has a camp on a small lake forty minutes north of the border, nothing fancy -- a dock, a motorboat that did start (Sean looked personally vindicated), a yard with grass and space. Liam ran in the grass like someone discovering the concept of running. Nora walked in the grass with the deliberate focus of someone conducting an inspection. The difference in their relationship to open space is entirely in character.
Liam caught a fish. I want to record this with the weight it deserves: he caught a perch off the dock on Saturday morning with Danny's help, a small one, and he held the line while it came up and he said "I got it, I got it, I got one!" with the specific voice of a person who has manifested something they genuinely willed into being. We photographed the fish. We released the fish. Liam watched it swim away and said "bye fish" without sadness. He got the fish. That was the point. The fish is fine.
I cooked that night -- Danny had a grill and I made burgers with the good beef and corn I'd bought at a farm stand on the way up. Ate on the dock in the May-going-to-June air. Nora fell asleep in Sean's arms before the sun was fully down. Liam made it to the first stars. Sean and I sat outside after the kids were in and didn't talk much and that was the right amount.
That night on the dock — burgers, grilled corn, the last of the light — reminded me how much I love cooking something simple in a good place and just letting it be enough. These Zucchini Crab Cakes have been in my back pocket since last summer, and they carry that same energy: unfussy, a little special, the kind of thing that feels celebratory without requiring much. If you’ve got a grill or a cast iron pan and something worth sitting outside for, this is the recipe to make.
Zucchini Crab Cakes
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells
- 1 medium zucchini (about 1 cup), grated and squeezed dry
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for coating
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, for pan-frying
- Lemon wedges and sour cream or remoulade, for serving
Instructions
- Dry the zucchini. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, then wrap in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove as much moisture as possible. This step is essential — too much liquid and the cakes won’t hold.
- Mix the base. In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, dried zucchini, panko, egg, mayonnaise, Dijon, Old Bay, garlic powder, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Fold gently — you want to keep some texture in the crab.
- Form the cakes. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a patty about 3/4-inch thick. Press each lightly in additional panko to coat both sides. Place on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Pan-fry. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cakes in a single layer without crowding (work in batches if needed). Cook for 4–5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and heated through.
- Serve. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauce. These are best eaten fresh off the pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 220 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 540mg