Do you have a holiday tradition?

In our family little family (me, my husband and our daughter), on xmas eve, we cook live dungeness crabs and whip up vietnamese garlic noodles. We lay down an oil cloth on the living room floor, pile newspapers on top of that… set dishes of melted butter, old bay seasoning, and lemons and dig in.

Though we are only 3, we cook 10-11 crabs and after eating, we spend hours drinking sparkling wine and cracking the rest of the crab we couldn't eat because the next day is CRAB CAKE DAY!!!!

We invite about 20 of our friends for crab cake brunch… with smoked salmon, bagels, lox, cream cheese, onions, capers,… assorted nuts, dried fruits, sliced baguette, and soft cheeses, fruit compote… banana bread (you want that toasted?) and butter… cinnamon and chocolate babka… salad… vietnamese garlic noodles… and mimosas… and bourbon…

We've been doing this for 25 years.

The best crab cakes in the world… I developed this recipe using the joy of cooking as a base. They are so good that near anyone who eats them can't order them in a restaurant any more.

2 tbs olive oil
Butter for frying
2 tbs minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 cup red bell pepper (if the red bell pepper is anemic in your neck of the woods this time of year, use jarred pimento - NOT pickled - rinsed minced.
1/8 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (i.e., bread crumbs from a fresh loaf of bread)
2 cups flaked crab meat
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Dash of tabasco
Pepper

Seasoned panko dry bread crumbs. Use the seasoning combination that is your favorite for any fried good. I like marjoram, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, old bay seasoning and lemon zest.

Mince the onion, celery, and red pepper so fine it is almost a mash. Drain in a fine mesh sieve.

Heat olive oil and add the vegetables, garlic, smoked paprika and a dash of salt and pepper. Sauté until soft. Remove from heat and drain in fine mesh sieve again.

In a bowl, combine crab, cream, beaten eggs, soft bread crumbs, dry mustard, lemon juice, tabasco salt, pepper, and parsley
Add drained vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

2 cook

Mix the batter. Fashion cakes (continue mixing batter while fashioning so the cream doesn't all set to the bottom). I like about 2" rounds but they can be up 3 and half and still be manageable.

Quickly brown each side of the cakes, turn down the heat and slowly cook through (turning again if necessary) about 6 minutes.