Accidental Locavore Recipe for Crab Cakes

Making crab cakes is essentially like making burgers, just switching out ingredients. This is the recipe the Accidental Locavore has used for years. Serves 4-6. These freeze well, I wrap them in wax paper first so they don’t stick together.

• 2 pounds crab meat
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard (if you don’t have it you could use Dijon, but add a little more bread crumbs so it’s not too mushy)
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much spice you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme (fresh is always better)
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup bread crumbs (fresh are better, panko is fine, but you might need a little more) divided in 2
• 2 tablespoons butter

If using fresh crab meat, check for shells. Place in a medium bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onions until soft but not brown, about 7 minutes. In the bowl with the crab, add 1/2 cup of the breadcrumbs and all the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Shape the mixture into 2″ patties. Place the rest of the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl or plate. Roll the patties in the breadcrumbs. If you’re going to cook them right away, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the crab cakes until golden, about 5 minutes, turn and cook until both sides are golden brown, about another 4 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite hot sauce, and enjoy!