Classic New England Crab Cakes

Photo: Leah Rodrigues

Ingredients

cup finely chopped onion

cup finely chopped celery

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound lump crab meat

cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

a few drops hot sauce

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Preparation

Cook onion and celery in 4 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat, until tender and transfer to a bowl. Stir in crab and bread crumbs.

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, seafood seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and stir into crab mixture until combined well.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Form crab mixture into 6 flattened rounds. Chill crab cakes, covered with plastic wrap, at least 1 hour.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and cook half of crab cakes until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Cook remaining cakes in remaining tablespoon butter in same manner.