August 2024 Newsletter

PRESENTED BY: FRENCHMAN’S CREEK CULINARY CHEF’S CORNER

CREATING IRRESISTIBLE CRAB CAKES

into the mixing bowl, fluff it and pick at it, then use one beaten egg and add it into the crabmeat.”

Tasting the best food can transport the palette to another land, much like the crab cake, which can stir thoughts of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, where the crabbing industry prospers. But, when a cousin to the banana—the plantain—is added to the mix, the dish takes on the tropics. Plantains are a plus as they contain Vitamin A, C, iron and magnesium. In this dish, Chef Maximiliano Cervantes, also known as Chef Max, highlighted this coastal food as light, savory, and easy to make. “You don’t have to get the whole jumbo lump crab meat, you want it nice and fluffy so it’s easy to pick through,” Chef Max said. “The first step is to toss the crab meat Chef Max from the Beach Club shows how to make Crab Cakes using the unexpected - plantains!

Next, add toasted breadcrumbs to the mixing bowl to create a binding and hold. Then, follow with “Joe’s mustard,” Chef Max recommended, adding the mustard to the crab cake bowl mixture.

“Our Joe’s mustard is homemade, we want to keep it light and not overdo it,” he added.

Mix all the ingredients together, and once mixed, toss in the spice seasoning, some chives if you want, and lemon zest. Continue to bind all ingredients together so you will be able to get a good form of crab cake. You can form a crab cake using your hand or a ring mold; at Frenchman’s “These seared crab cakes are a nice, light tropical dish for summer.” - Chef Max Once you shape the crab cake, select the pan for cooking—you want to start using a cold pan to avoid scorching. “We use olive oil,” Chef Max noted, “but you can use avocado oil or coconut oil.” After you sear the crab cake, and a nice golden crust appears, put it in a separate pan, drizzle olive oil on top, and place it in a 350-degree oven for eight minutes. Chef Max added, “if you want to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature, aim for 165-degrees to make sure it’s okay because of the egg in the recipe.” Creek, chefs use a ring mold as part of their standard protocol.

Bake the crab cake to a golden, crispy crust. On a

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Chef Max

12 Frenchman’s Creek