Company-Pleasing Crab Cakes
Ingredients 
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 red or green sweet pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 teaspoons snipped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces cooked crabmeat, chopped (2 cups) or two 6-1/2-ounce cans crabmeat,
drained, flaked and cartilage removed
Braised Black Beans (see recipe below)
Pineapple Salsa (see recipe below)
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)
Directions
1. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter or margarine over medium-high heat. Add sweet pepper, celery, and onion. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender, but not brown.
2. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, thyme, tarragon, paprika, mustard, and salt. Stir in crabmeat; mix well. Shape into six 1/2-inch-thick cakes.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the large skillet. Cook cakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and heated through.
4. Serve crab cakes immediately on a bed of warm Braised Black Beans. Top with Pineapple Salsa. Garnish with cilantro, if you like. Makes 6 servings.
Braised Black Beans: In a medium saucepan, stir together one 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained); 1/4 cup dry sherry; 1/4 cup water; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; and 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper. Bring the mixture to boiling and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer the black beans for 10 minutes. Season the bean mixture with some salt and black pepper, if you like. Makes 1-3/4 cups black beans.
Pineapple Salsa: In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup drained, crushed pineapple; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon chopped red sweet pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped green sweet pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped red onion; 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro; and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. Stir some salt and black pepper into the fruit salsa to taste. Cover and chill the mixture for 2 to 24 hours before serving with the crab cakes. Makes about 1 cup salsa.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 red or green sweet pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 teaspoons snipped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces cooked crabmeat, chopped (2 cups) or two 6-1/2-ounce cans crabmeat,
drained, flaked and cartilage removed
Braised Black Beans (see recipe below)
Pineapple Salsa (see recipe below)
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)
Directions
1. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter or margarine over medium-high heat. Add sweet pepper, celery, and onion. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender, but not brown.
2. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, thyme, tarragon, paprika, mustard, and salt. Stir in crabmeat; mix well. Shape into six 1/2-inch-thick cakes.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the large skillet. Cook cakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and heated through.
4. Serve crab cakes immediately on a bed of warm Braised Black Beans. Top with Pineapple Salsa. Garnish with cilantro, if you like. Makes 6 servings.
Braised Black Beans: In a medium saucepan, stir together one 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained); 1/4 cup dry sherry; 1/4 cup water; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; and 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper. Bring the mixture to boiling and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer the black beans for 10 minutes. Season the bean mixture with some salt and black pepper, if you like. Makes 1-3/4 cups black beans.
Pineapple Salsa: In a small bowl, stir together 1 cup drained, crushed pineapple; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon chopped red sweet pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped green sweet pepper; 1 tablespoon chopped red onion; 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro; and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. Stir some salt and black pepper into the fruit salsa to taste. Cover and chill the mixture for 2 to 24 hours before serving with the crab cakes. Makes about 1 cup salsa.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
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