Deviled Crabs with Tomato and Corn Relish, Old Bay Hollandaise and Johnny Cakes

Recipe by Peter Zoole, Executive Chef at Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, Florida. Image by Gideon Heller. 

​Yield: 6 Stuffed Crabs

Ingredients

Deviled Crabs

• 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Chef Note: reserve a couple of pats for finishing
• 1/2 cup Onion (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup Celery (finely diced)
• 1 pound Jumbo Lump Crab Meat Chef Note: Fresh from the sea is best, but pasteurized will work if you are landlocked.
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise Chef Note: I use Duke’s
• 1 Egg (lightly beaten)
• 1 teaspoon Brown Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)
• 1/2 cup Ritz Crackers (crushed)

Tomato and Corn Relish

• 1 pint Heirloom Grape Tomatoes
• 2 ears of Fresh Corn (husked and washed)
• 1 Tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Shallots (finely minced)
• Italian Parsley and Celery Hearts (freshly picked leaves)
• Sea Salt and White Pepper

Old Bay Hollandaise

• 4 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (melted)
• Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)

Johnny Cakes
Yields 12-14 cakes plus a few for experiments

• 2 cups Yellow Cornmeal (finely ground)
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Salt
  
• 2 cups Boiling Water
  
• 1/2 cup Milk
  
• 1/4 cup Butter

Preparation

Deviled Crab
Melt the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Gently pick through the crab to remove any pieces of shell. Chef Note: Be careful not to break up those beautiful lumps of crab too much.
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, egg, and onion/celery. Mix thoroughly.
Gently fold in the crabmeat and the crushed crackers. Chef Note: The mixture will appear a little loose, give the crackers a few minutes to absorb. Season with Old Bay to taste. Brush the reserved butter over the top of the crab mixture.
Bake in a 350 °F oven for 20 minutes until the crabs are hot and golden brown. Chef Note: My Mom always told me that the least amount of ingredients you add (besides the crab) to crab cakes, the better they taste!

Tomato and Corn Relish
Roast the corn on barbeque grill until it is lightly charred. Remove and allow to cool. Chef Note: Alternatively, corn may be broiled in an oven if a grill is unavailable. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Place the corn and the tomatoes into a medium-sized bowl. Add the shallots, olive oil, and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the relish on serving plate or platter, garnish with celery and parsley leaves.

Old Bay Hollandaise
In a metal bowl whisk together the yolks and lemon juice. Place the metal bowl over a double boiler and whisk quickly. Once the whisk begins to trace lines in the egg mixture, gradually add in the butter. Continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened, and all of the butter has been incorporated. Season to taste with the Old Bay.
Cover and reserve in a warm place until ready to serve. Chef Note: Hollandaise can be tricky the first few times that you make it. Everything has to be not too hot, not too cold, and the butter has to be whisked in carefully. If you go too fast the the sauce will break. Old Bay is a name brand for a spice that can be purchased in just about any supermarket. I purposely left out salt and pepper in this recipe as they are included in the Old Bay spice blend.

Johnny Cakes
In a bowl, mix the cornmeal sugar and salt. Pour in the boiling water until a tight paste forms. Add in the milk until the consistency of a pancake batter is achieved. In a skillet, melt a teaspoon of butter and add a spoonful of batter to form a 3-inch cake. Cook the cake on each side until golden brown. Chef Note: I have found that when making Johnny Cakes or pancakes, the first few never come out nicely. Experiment with the pan temperature and cook time. Be patient. These can be prepared slightly ahead and held warm if need be.

Assembly

Place the Johnny cakes onto a plate, or skillet and spoon the tomato and corn relish over it.
Place the devilled crab on top, and pour hollandaise over. Sprinkle lightly with Old Bay spice and garnish with celery leaves.

Wine Match

Radio-Coteau “Savoy” Chardonnay 2018 Anderson Valley.

This organically grown Chardonnay from California’s Anderson Valley is perfectly autumnal — think pie crust, baked golden apples, and brown butter. While it certainly goes well with richly sauced fish dishes and roast chicken, it will also be lovely with braised pork shoulder or a well-spiced vegetarian main.~ Steve Monti, Director of Dining Operations.

The Clubhouse at Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, Florida. Image by Gideon Heller.