(non) Essential Advice (on Blue crabs)

1) If someone offers you 15 big steamed crabs because their houseguests left early accept them

2) DO NOT sit down like heathens or people from Maryland with newspapers and various tools

3) Get someone else to pick them in the kitchen or on the back porch so you have a big bowl of crab meat

Crab Cakes as best as I recall from watching Grandma:
    To a a small serving bowl of fresh picked crab (say ~3 cups from 7-8 crabs) mix in 1 egg
     and  ~ 1/2 cup+ seasoned bread crumbs*
    Shape into patties a handful at a time -they will fall apart if not hadled carefully. If they do not fall apart easily you added too much "binder" or you are using frozen crab meat.
   Place in hot skillet with a mixture of olive and canola oil (or whatever non-olive oil you have on hand)
   On medium heat cook until you see the smaller pieces that have fallen off turning golden brown and then carefully turn over. You should not need to worry about draining excess oil off the crab cakes  if you use a non-stick pan and minimal oil (<1/4 inch deep).
   These are nice with a side of a Major Gray's chutney if you can still find it, salsas, avocado with lime juice drizzled on it (that's what we did night before last) or anything with a little kick but not too much. Fresh crab does not need to be overwhelmed with spices.

Crab in a white wine sauce

It took me 1 and 1/2 hours to pick 8 crabs so the next night I picked the remaining the next day (they say steamed crabs are good for 3-5 days in the refridgerator but again as I recall from Grandma that's being quite cautious-and she never was) and I didn't want more crab cakes.

 So I used what was a cooking essential when I was growing up -a white sauce.

 In a sauce pan (why do you think they call it that?) melt 1/2 stick butter. Whisk in some flour. Don't ask me how much just do it. You can use a fork but a whick really is easier and shaking the flour in a small sieve helps too (OK, we are only talking tablespoons of flour).
  It will thicken. Whisk in some milk. It will keep thickening because I have usually added too much flour. But that's good because to thin it now start adding white wine. Do not be afraid. Just add more flour if that gets too thin. If that gets too thick go to the wine again
 To go with the crab meat I added a dollop of  sour cream (and because I ran out of milk) and a small handful of fresh herbs. I suggest parsley, rosemary, chives, and lots of thyme, finely chopped. To get the right mix just pick and sniff as you add more**. When it smells perfect you're done. Now a little salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir in the crab. Keep stirring over a low heat just to thoroughly heat the crab -not really cook it.

 Prior to starting the white sauce I suggest you start rice and throw in some saffron*** -you just need a 3 or 4 little filaments (I don't say anthers because they are probably broken bits of the anthers don't you think?)
 Now have your better half perfectly grill salmon and serve the sauce over everything.

* I never have bread crumbs on hand but I did have homemade croutons. The real point is something crunchy and salty, and originally in the baked goods family. Crushed crackers would work.
** It pays to let your self go and be a hedonist when cooking -more on this in another blog
*** I may have missed saffron in my list of kitchen essentials. Add it. It;s not always easy to find but it lasts well and although it is expensive it goes a very long way and there is nothing like it. You get color and flavor and it impresses the guests.