INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lump or jumbo crab meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (alternate-use 12 finely crushed Ritz Crackers)
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs, crushed fine (alternate-use 12 finely crushed Ritz Crackers)
2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup mayonnaise (prefer Dukes brand)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced fine (optional)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (to taste) 
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or Sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)
All-Purpose Flour, for coating
Peanut oil for frying, about 1/2 cup if using a large 12 inch diameter skillet

If using fresh crab, make certain all the cartilage is removed and crab meat free of shell and well drained.  In a large bowl, mix and fold together gently all ingredients except the peanut oil, flour for coating and crab meat.  Add crab meat to the mixture and gently fold in crab meat being careful not break up the crab meat into thin shreds.  Place crab cake mixture in refrigerator covered for about an hour to allow the egg, mayo and flour/ bread crumbs to fully bind all the ingredients.    Remove from refrigerator and form into patties using a medium biscuit cutter mold or shape by hand and dredge (coat) with flour.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Using a non-stick turner, carefully place crab cakes in hot oil and fry in batches if necessary to keep from over crowding the skillet which lowers the oil temperature.  A large 12 or 13 inch diameter skillet will easily handle 6 crab cakes.  Fry until golden brown, about 4  minutes. Turn crab cakes over carefully and fry other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Serve while warm with your favorite Remoulade or Lemon Caper Aioli sauce, Marinated or Deli slaw, fries or Baked potato and a good glass of white wine.

YIELD:  6 - 8 crab cakes

Below close up pix of another batch of crab cakes on 07-29-12:

This recipe represents a compilation of various crab cake recipes from Maine to Florida, however many use crushed crackers as a binder or bread crumbs.  I tried the cracker crumbs and they do not do as good a job of binding as does all-purpose flour and bread crumbs in my humble opinion.  The sequence pixs shows the usage of the cracker crumbs but will update the pixs the next time I do this recipe.   It was touch and go to keep the crab cakes together after forming and then getting a good dusting of flour on them.  I am also going to place the crab cake mixture in the refrigerator covered for about an hour to let the mixture set up some before I form the crab cakes and then coat with flour.  I believe this sequence will make it easier to handle the crab cake mixture prior to frying them.  The below crab cakes were delicious and stayed together real well after frying them golden brown and were moist yet still firm

The refrigeration of the crab cake mixture prior to forming into crab cakes is the ticket to keep them together.  As from the above pix you can see the texture of the lump crab and the flour, egg, Panko bread crumbs and mayo used as a binder did not over power the presence of the lump crab meat....the taste of the crab was very prevalent.  I plan to  pan broil the next batch for a taste and presentation comparison.  Many comment that the broiled crab cakes are superior without the flour and/or bread crumb coating.

Click on thumbnail sequence pixs for a larger view:

Web posted by Bill aka Mickey Porter 07-19-12 and updated on 07-29-12.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE