The annual Crab Cake Cook-Off is one of the favorite events that occur during the University of Delaware’s annual Coast Day festival. This year, seven contestants from around the country arrived bright and early to compete for the honor of making “Delaware’s Best Crab Cakes” on Sunday, October 6, at the University’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes.
Jo Dryden of Georgetown, Delaware, won first place with her “Calypso Crab Cakes.” Her winning crab cakes featured a tasty blend of herbs and vegetables, coated with grated potato and Cajun seasoning, and served with fresh fruit salsa. Along with the coveted title of “Delaware’s Best Crab Cakes,” Dryden received a $150 cash prize, a plaque, and an invitation to return as a judge for next year’s competition.
“It was wonderful — I love to cook and have entered many cooking contests, but have never won the grand prize,” Dryden said. “It was a fun experience to be outside and cooking in the elements as opposed to cooking in the luxury of your own kitchen.”
Earning second-place honors and a $100 cash prize was Terry Ann Moore of Oaklyn, New Jersey, with her “Pistachio-Encrusted Crab Cakes.” Her creative entry featured crab cakes with a light coating of chopped pistachios and were made from a rich mixture of ingredients that included sea scallops, curry powder, chives, lemon zest, and red chilies.
Jill Culbert of San Francisco, California, won the $75 third prize with her “Pacific Rim Crab Cakes.” Her recipe called for a mixture of crab, shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes, lime juice, eggs, and cream that was then lightly tossed with Japanese panko bread crumbs, cilantro, and lemongrass.
Last year’s winner, Georges “Geo” Johnson of Frankford, Delaware, who is the executive chef at the Cottage Cafe in Bethany Beach, returned as a judge for this year’s competition. “I had a ball,” said Johnson. “It was nice being on the other side of the table and being able to chit-chat with the cooks as they were trying to frantically deal with the wind and cook at the same time.”
Also judging the event were Donna Hudelson, food editor for the York Dispatch in York, Pennsylvania; and Professor Charles Epifanio, a blue crab expert at the University of Delaware. The crab cakes were judged for originality, composition, taste, and texture.
Seven finalists competed in the cook-off, setting up their favorite appliances under a tent to prepare their recipes in front of the judges and interested onlookers. In addition to Dryden, Moore, and Culbert, the finalists included George Konesky from Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; Terri Carr, from Lewes; Erica Culbert from Philadelphia; and George Zeleznik, also from Philadelphia.
“The Crab Cake Cook-off once again took on a very festive atmosphere with lots of nervous jitters here and there,” said Doris Hicks, seafood specialist for the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service and organizer of the annual cook-off. “The contestants kept their cool, but Jo Dryden jumped for joy when she heard her name called for first place.”
Each finalist received a copy of the commemorative Coast Day Crab Cake Cookbook. The 50-page, spiral-bound booklet, published by the University’s Marine Public Education Office, contains all of the finalists’ recipes from the first 10 years of the contest. Copies are still available from the Marine Public Education Office in Newark at (302) 831-8083, or the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service in Lewes at (302) 645-4346. The cookbook costs $4.
Coast Day 2002 Crab Cake Cook-Off Winning Recipes
FIRST PLACE — “CALYPSO CRAB CAKES”
by Jo Dryden, Georgetown, Delaware
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Crab Cakes:
2 pounds blue crab meat
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons salad dressing
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 additional egg whites (only), beaten
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2 cups grated, raw, white potato
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
2 cups peanut oil
Jo’s Fresh Fruit Salsa:
1 medium peach, chopped
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
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To make crab cakes: Sauté first four ingredients in large frying pan. Add crab meat, mix gently, and refrigerate. Mix next eight ingredients in large bowl. Add to the chilled sautéed mixture, and form into crab cakes (3–4 ounces each). Dip the crab cakes in egg whites, and coat with potatoes and Cajun seasoning. Fry in hot peanut oil until golden brown.
To make fruit salsa: Mix all ingredients, cover, and refrigerate. Sprinkle with grated lime rind when serving.
To serve: If desired, serve crab cakes with fruit salsa.
SECOND PLACE — “PISTACHIO-ENCRUSTED CRAB CAKES”
by Terry Ann Moore, Oaklyn, New Jersey
Crab Cakes:
2 pounds blue crab meat
2 eggs
4 ounces sea scallops, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Fresh, cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup snipped chives
1/4 cup green onions
2 tablespoons snipped, fresh parsley
2 red chilies, finely diced
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs |
2 cups chopped pistachios
Safflower oil for frying
Mango Lime Coulis:
1/2 mango, skin and seed removed
Pulp and grated rind of small orange
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Pineapple Coulis:
8 ounces fresh pineapple
Grated rind from 2 limes
Juice from 1 lime
1–2 tablespoons orange blossom honey
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To make crab cakes: Put eggs, scallops, sour cream, lemon juice, pepper, curry, and lemon zest in bowl of food processor, and process until smooth. Add the chives, onions, parsley, and chilies. Stir to blend. Add the crab meat and Panko bread crumbs, and mix gently. Shape into 8 patties, coat lightly with pistachios, and fry in safflower oil. Drain on paper towels.
To make Mango Lime Coulis: Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor, and puree. Strain. Refrigerate until needed.
To make Pineapple Coulis: Puree ingredients in blender or food processor, and strain.
To serve: Drizzle individual plates with Mango Lime Coulis and Pineapple Coulis. Place some greens on plate, add crab cakes, and garnish with herbs.
THIRD PLACE — “Pacific Rim Crab Cakes”
by Jill Culbert, San Francisco, California
2 pounds lump crab meat
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 eggs
4 tablespoons cream
1 pinch dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lime juice |
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped, white part only
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper |
Sauté shallots and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter until translucent.
Lightly beat eggs, and combine with cream. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the egg mixture. Lightly toss crab meat in lime juice. Pour egg mixture into crab, and gently mix together. Toss crab mixture with panko bread crumbs, cilantro, lemongrass, salt, and pepper.
Form mixture into cakes. Sauté in 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and 4 tablespoons of butter.
Makes 8–10 crab cakes.