Crab Cakes

This is a dish you can make when you don't have any meat out for supper.

Serve them with a salad or as a first course at a dinner party.

I have doubled and tripled the recipe and it always turns out great.

I clipped the recipe from a magazine years ago and have tweaked it a bit over the years.

1 6 oz. can of crabmeat, drained and flaked, 0r 1 6 oz. pkg. fresh or frozen lump crabmeat, thawed and drained
1 egg slightly beaten
6 Tbsp. fine dry bread crumbs, divided (regular or Panko crumbs)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped carrot
2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red pepper
1 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion (green part only)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Drain crabmeat.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg, 4 Tbsp. of bread crumbs, carrot celery, onion, mayonnaise, dry mustard, salt and hot pepper sauce.
Gently stir in crabmeat just until combined.
With wet hands, gently shape mixture into four ½ inch thick patties . Or you can make them smaller if serving as an appetizer. Mixture will be a bit crumbly.
Pace remaining bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and gently coat both sides of each crab cake.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Add crab cakes.
Cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brow and heated through.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired and Tartar Sauce.

Tartar Sauce
In a small bowl, stir together:
1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. chopped celery leaves,
1 Tbsp. sweet or dill pickle relish,
1 Tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. celery salt.