1 pound backfin crabmeat — or lump, picked
— over 2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon capers — chopped and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Place the crabmeat in a mixing bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook several minutes, stirring all the while. Off the heat slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Return the pan to the heat and whisk constantly until thick. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the egg yolk, mustard, horseradish, capers, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Let the mixture cool for several minutes. Pour the cream mixture over the crabmeat and gently mix together. Cover the mixture and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before forming the cakes.
To prepare the coating, combine the eggs and milk in a bowl and beat until well mixed. Place the flour and bread crumbs in separate bowls.
Form the crab mixture into 8 cakes about 1 inch thick. Do not pack the batter too firmly. The cakes should be as loose as possible, but still hold their shape. Dust each cake lightly in flour, dip in the egg-milk mixture, and then coat well with bread crumbs. Chill at least 1 hour before frying.
In a large, heavy skillet, pour in oil until it reaches a depth of 1/2 inch. Add the cakes and panfry, turning several times, until golden brown, about 6 minutes total cooking time.
Serve at once.
Notes: Tina Martinelli of Ruxton, Maryland took a French cooking correspondence class and was binding up almost everything in sight with her newly discovered classic French sauces. One year in honor of Bastille Day (France’s Independence Day), she adapted an old family deviled crab recipe to arrive with this dish. The majority of Chesapeake-style crab cakes are mayonnaise based; these, however, are bound by a tangy cream sauce and then lightly coated, a pleasant departure from tradition. When Tina serves these crab cakes to guests, she accompanies them with scalloped potatoes and fresh asparagus, topped with (but of course!) hollandaise sauce.
“Chesapeake Bay Cooking with John Shields” tv recipes, www.johnshields.com