August is National Sandwich Month.
To celebrate, we’re having sandwiches for dinner.
Not to worry, this sandwich is substantial. The recipe comes from the cookbook from Seattle’s famous Pike Place Fish Market, In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys ($30, hardcover, 2013 Penguin Group).
The book is chock-full of seafood recipes from the market, as well as tips like how to shuck an oyster, how to devein a shrimp and how to fillet a salmon.
This recipe for a crab cake BLT is flavorful and easy and takes advantage of the tomatoes just coming into season.
RECTOR’S CRAB CAKE BLT
1 lb. Dungeness crab meat, picked over
3 tbsp. Northwest Seafood Seasoning (recipe follows)
2 large egg whites
4 green onions, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
3 tbsp. sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
4 bacon strips
4 slices provolone cheese
4 soft rolls or croissants
Tartar sauce or mayonnaise
Sliced ripe tomatoes and lettuce
Combine the crabmeat, seafood seasoning, egg whites, green onions, bell pepper, and sour cream in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 4 cakes of equal size. Place the panko in a shallow bowl and dredge each patty. Place the patties on a plate and put in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up, or chill in the fridge for up to 1 hour.
Cook the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan to paper towels to drain, reserving the bacon fat.
Remove the crab cakes from the freezer. In the same pan over medium heat, saute the crab cakes in the bacon fat until golden brown on both sides and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Top each crab cake with a slice of provolone. Divide the crab cakes among the rolls and top with a slice of bacon.
Garnish each sandwich with tartar sauce, tomatoes, and lettuce, as desired, and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
NORTHWEST SEAFOOD
SEASONING
½ cup dried minced garlic
⅓ cup dried granulated onion
1 tbsp. fine sea salt
4 tsp. dried granulated lemon peel
⅓ cup dried dill
⅓ cup paprika
2 tbsp. celery seed
½ cup dried parsley
¼ cup medium-grind black pepper
Combine the garlic, onion, salt, lemon peel, dill, paprika, celery seed, parsley, and pepper in a bowl. Store in a covered container. Will keep for at least 6 months.
Makes about 2 cups.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.