Weekend Tasting Party: Opinions welcome

In celebration of something special we are invited to a friends waterside party this Sunday.
I offered to bring crabcakes. This will be a very international crowd and all are infamous "foodies".
Since there will be alot of food no reason to make full sized crabcakes so I'm thinking smaller and more intense.

Good crabcakes don't have much in them more than....good crab! Here is what I'm thinking:

Plate #1
Silver dollar size crabcakes - regrind panko to dust, egg yolks only, pinch of tumeric, generous roughly ground pepper. Sear these in cast iron using clarified butter only. Serve on finely shredded bed of lightly dressed kale. Bam.
Plate #2
Silver dollar size crabcakes - crushed saltines, one egg, cayenne, salt, rosemary infused clarified butter mixed into the meat. Grilled over high heat on the Webber. Served on plain white tea bread drizzled with a killer finishing EVO.

Plate #1 will visually differntiate due to the tumeric. Grab a cake + some lightly dressed greens and you get a taste of the Chesapeake and hint of spice .
Plate #2 No mistaking this. You are looking at upscale white trash cooking. End of story.

I am going to recommend two "unusual" choices. For plate #1, I would serve a sparkling Sake. Go with something amazing like the Okunomatsu Formula Nippon. No one will be expecting this. For plate #2, go with an IPA. My thinking is if these will be spicy (how much cayenne?), some bitterness will be great from the beer. Also, a little rosemary could be picked up in both. Try something like the Dogfish 90 minute. If it isn't spicy, try something really cool like Goose Island's Sofie.

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Originally Posted by AJPM44

I am going to recommend two "unusual" choices. For plate #1, I would serve a sparkling Sake. Go with something amazing like the Okunomatsu Formula Nippon. No one will be expecting this. For plate #2, go with an IPA. My thinking is if these will be spicy (how much cayenne?), some bitterness will be great from the beer. Also, a little rosemary could be picked up in both. Try something like the Dogfish 90 minute. If it isn't spicy, try something really cool like Goose Island's Sofie.

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Outstanding suggestions. If I put out bottles and appropriate size glasses by each plate people will do what comes naturally.

For Thanksgiving last year my assignment for the family dinner was to bring an appetizer. I went with this recipe for crab cakes baked in mini muffin trays - kind of a different method but it worked out really well. The citrus zest gives it something special. Did a few practice runs the week ahead of time to make sure I nailed it and I think it's a keeper.

Noble Pig: Mini Crab Cakes

Mini Crab Cakes
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes 24

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
4 teaspoons plus 4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Large pinch cayenne pepper
6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded
1-1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Fresh chives, chopped finely

Using an electric mixer (I did this by hand and it was easy), beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus zest, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, coarse salt and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. (This can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill.

Spray mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Toss 1-1/2 cups panko, 3/4 cup Parmesan and 4 Tablespoons chopped chives in a bowl. Drizzle melted butter over, tossing with a fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded Tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup (makes a well with your thumb), forming crust. Spoon 1 generous Tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle more panko mixture over each.

Bake crab cakes in a 350 degree oven until golden on top and set, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Gently lift each crab cake out of the pan with a fork onto a serving platter. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on baking sheet, let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in a 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.)

Arrange crab cakes on a serving platter; sprinkle with chives.

How about a crab taco or fish taco with your fresh tortillas? Serve with a light lager. We did a marinaded tri-tip for tacos. MOstly balsamic vinegar and soy sauce with some other stuff thrown in. The balsamic works great on beef. Cook it slow and keep brushing it on, it caramelizes on the outside.

not one mention of old bay?

http://www.metalsucks.net/wp-content...headhorror.jpg

at least for a baseline if having multiple crab cakes in our great state. for shame, sir. for shame.

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Originally Posted by maunahaole

How about a crab taco or fish taco with your fresh tortillas? Serve with a light lager. We did a marinaded tri-tip for tacos. MOstly balsamic vinegar and soy sauce with some other stuff thrown in. The balsamic works great on beef. Cook it slow and keep brushing it on, it caramelizes on the outside.

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That's a good one, me like. I'll save it for a practice run at home and let you know.
Gotta go with something that is closer to traditional.

One of my favorite crab cakes isn't really a crab cake at all—it's the crab cake appetizer at DelFrisco's. The recipe is a secret, but with a little searching online I came across someone who as attempted to reverse-engineer the recipe. Haven't tried it, but it seems to capture the essence of the dish. Even if you don't make something like this for the tasting, it's worth experimenting with. Makes a great main course (which you can do at the restaurant as well).

Crab Cakes with Cajun Lobster Sauce

If you're really adventurous, you could make some Old Bay ice cream.