The saga of judging the best crab recipes began for this newspaper in 1985 and has continued through 2022 at the Crab Cooking Contest in Crisfield, Maryland. Always held the first weekend of September, this was the 58th contest which is one of the openers to the 75th National Hard Crab Derby.
It is amazing what contestants can do with one pound of crabmeat. They come from far and near to do so. The creativity of these cooks always seems to be endless and leaves you in awe. This year’s competition was the same, though no two years are ever alike. Creative new recipes abounded, include the use of watermelons in one case and pork chops in another, all backing up the crabmeat.
Many of this year’s contestants walked away with two or more trophies by entering more than one of the four categories: Appetizers, Soup, Crab Cakes, and Main Dishes. One family of three—mother, father and daughter from West Virginia and Troy, Virginia—won five trophies plus cash awards. Then there was a Crisfield resident who entered two categories and placed in both.
Once the ovens and mixing bowls ceased to be the center of attention, the judges submitted their final decisions after everyone had the pleasure of tasting. Then it was time to make the awards. Once the first, second, and third places in each category was announced, with trophies in hand, it was picture-taking time.
But there was still anxiety in the room as if awaiting a drumroll. Who would be the grand-prize award recipient? It had to be selected from the four first-place winners.
The winner was a lady from Salisbury who had submitted only one recipe, in the Crab Cake division. It was an easy-to-make recipe with the addition of some unusual condiments such as sugar; yet the crab flavor prevailed. In receiving this honor, she remarked, “I have participated in many of these crab cook-offs, but I haven’t always won.”
You will note many of the following recipes call for Maryland blue crab. However, when preparing these recipes in Virginia, I feel sure the Virginia blue crab will be an acceptable surrogate. But keep in mind, Crisfield, Maryland, is where the blue crab has its special weekend. Whether it’s served on a plate or crawling in a race, it’s blue crab country.
A note on blue crabs: A single #1-sized blue crab will yield one to two ounces of meat when cleaned by an expert picker. Blue crabs with their paddle-shaped legs rotate at 20 to 40 revolutions per minute, propelling them quickly near and far in the Chesapeake Bay or any other waters. They generally live for 3 or 4 years and reach maturity in 12 to 18 months.
Reference: “Facts and Information on Blue Crabs”
SWEET n’ SPICY CRAB CAKES (Bayou)
Grand prize winner
First place in crab cakes
Sarah Van Hoy, Salisbury, Maryland
1 lb. Maryland crabmeat
12 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
1 egg
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 Tbs. sweet and spicy mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp. honey
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp. horseradish
2 to 3 drops Zatarain’s shrimp and crab boil
2-3 drops sriracha hot sauce
1 shake each: garlic powder, oregano, cayenne and pepper
Finely crush Ritz crackers. Add crackers to dry ingredients and mix wet and dry ingredients together. Fold in crabmeat. Form into six crab cakes and if possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before frying or broiling. Optional: Sprinkle some Japanese seasoned Panko crumbs on the surface of the crab cakes before frying or broiling. This will add a little extra flavor and a crunchiness to the crab cakes.
CRAB AVOCADO TOAST
First in main dish
Jodi Jones Smith, Troy, Virginia
1 lb. lump crabmeat
4 avocados
1 c. finely chopped tomato
¼ c. minced green onion
8 cloves garlic
Salt
Pepper
½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
8 slices of crispy bread
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. melted butter
1½ Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. finely minced jalapeno
2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Finely chop tomato, green onion, jalapeno and cilantro. Mix in a small bowl, adding lime juice, Old Bay, salt and pepper to taste. Add mayonnaise and mix well. Cut the avocados in half scooping out the flesh and mashing in a bowl. Add the tomato mixture and mix well. Set aside and allow flavors to mix. Mix olive oil and butter in a small bowl. Add crushed garlic and allow flavors to mix for 15 minutes. Coat slices of bread with oil mixture on both sides. Heat an iron skillet on medium-low heat adding enough of the oil mixture to cover bottom of skillet. Toast the slices of bread in the skillet, turning when golden brown. On each slice of bread, add a thick layer of crabmeat topped with the avocado mixture. Serve immediately while the toast is still warm.
CHEESY CRAB PINWHEELS
First in Appetizers
Terry Campuzano, Boothwyn, Pennsylvania
1 container of Palmetto cheese or 8-oz. cream cheese
2 c. shredded sharp cheese
½ c. mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 jars pimentos, chopped
Mix all above ingredients together.
1 pkg. bacon
1 container Maryland blue crabmeat
1 c. scallions, chopped
1 egg
1 pkg. puff pastry sheets
Cook bacon and drain on paper towels and chop in pieces. Drain crabmeat on paper towels. Rub out puff pastry dough on floured surface and roll out with roller. Spread cheese mixture on pastry leaving half-inch border. Sprinkle bacon pieces evenly over mixture. Add scallions and then crabmeat evenly over top. Gently roll entire pastry into a log. Slice half-inch pieces and place flat onto a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper. Mix egg beaten with a little water in small bowl and brush egg wash over top of each pinwheel. Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with Scallion Dip.
Scallion Dip
1 c. sour cream
¼ c. mayo
1 tsp. garlic powder
Zest of half lemon
1 c. chopped scallions
2 Tbs. chopped dill
Mix and chill.
WATERMELON GAZPACHO WITH CRABMEAT
First place in Soups and Best presentation Award
Jeanette Scofield,
Hughesville, West Virginia
5 c. cubed and seeded watermelon
¼ c. chopped red onion
3 red tomatoes, peeled and seeded
1 c. cucumber, chopped and seeded (if seeds are large)
½ c. fresh basil leaves
½ jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped
1/8 c. grenadine
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
Process watermelon, tomato, cucumber, onion, basil leaves, oil, grenadine and jalapeno in a blender until smooth. Stir in lime juice and salt. Although not necessary, strain to obtain a clear soup. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Top with Crab Towers and serve in soup bowls.
CRAB TOWERS
This recipe will make about 8 towers. One can purchase food tower rings or make one’s own by cutting off the tops and bottoms of food cans or even making from PVC pipe. The rings should be about 3 inches wide, less if soup dishes are small. The stack will consist of a layer of crabmeat, a layer of mango and layer of vegetable salad, garnished with basil leaves.
Crabmeat Layer
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 lb. lump crabmeat checked for small pieces of shell
Mango Layer
2 c. diced fresh mango
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. olive oil
Vegetable Layer
½ c. chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
½ c. chopped tomato, peeled and seeded
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ c. yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/8 c. red onion, chopped
½ small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 c. avocado, chopped
2 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. olive oil
Pinch each salt and pepper
Make the crabmeat mixture by combining oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, lemon zest and crabmeat. Mix carefully so as not to break up lumps. Set aside.
Make the mango layer by combining mango, olive oil and lime juice. Mix well and set aside. For the vegetable layer, mix all ingredients and set aside. To make the towers, put a 3-inch mold or smaller on the serving dish and spoon 1/3 c. crab layer into it. Press down. Do the same for the mango layer and then the vegetable layer. Lift up the mold gently and repeat in 7 additional serving dishes. Gently ladle the gazpacho into the serving dishes. Top towers with basil leaves for garnish.
CRAB JALAPENO POPPER EGG ROLLS
Second in Appetizers
Jeanette Scofield, Hedgesville, West Virginia
Basic Crab Mix
¾ c. Maryland crabmeat
2 Tbs. each red and green sweet peppers, finely chopped
2 tsp. green onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. parsley, minced
1½ tsp. mayonnaise
¼ tsp. Old Bay seafood seasoning
1 oz. shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed (can be small ones)
2 tsp. heavy cream
Pulse shrimp in food processor until finely ground, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Add cream. Mix all ingredients gently being careful not to over-mix.
Egg Rolls
8 oz. cream cheese, soften
½ c. shredded mozzarella
Crab mix approximately ¾ c.
1 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 jalapenos, ends and seeds removed
12 egg roll wrappers
Vegetable oil for frying
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder and crab mix. Season with salt and pepper and stir until fully combined. Using a butter knife or small spoon, stuff jalapeños with cheese mixture. Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond shape and add stuffed pepper. Fold up bottom half and tightly fold in sides. Gently roll. Seal fold with a couple drops of water. Repeat with remaining peppers. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil approximately 325°F. (it should reach 1-inch up side of pan). Add egg rolls and fry until golden; 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with dressing or your favorite Southwestern dressing.