"Crab cake" bake

Crab cakes are delicious, right?  But they don't always have to be re-fried... so why not make the mix, and then stick it in a hot oven to heat through and crisp up on the top - that's what I did - and it was DE-LI-CIOUS.

So, crab cake bake....

Potatoes
1 small onion, finely diced
Celery, finely diced
Red pepper, finely diced
Olive oil
Red chili, very finely diced
Crab (white and brown meat)
Seasoning

Serve with... well, whatever you want, we had fried tomatoes and frozen peas...

1.  Peel and chop potatoes, boil and mash ... meanwhile get on with 2. ...
2.  Sweat onion in olive oil.
3.  Add finely diced celery and red pepper, garlic and chili soften a bit.
4. When veg is soft -add to mashed potato, mix through well.
5.  Put into oven proof dish and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes, or so, until you get nice browned crispy bits on top.

Scoff, scoff, .... fan-bloody-tastic

Crab cakes and celeriac slaw

OK - this looks like a burnt offering with some salad.  Fair enough - but it is home made burnt offering, with home made salads.  The crab cakes were inspired (?) by yesterday's bargain - and the everything else was in the fridge, including from the last veg box - with a spring onion boost from Poly the tunnel! :)

So, the "recipe".  I peeled, chopped into chunky cubes some potatoes - meanwhile chopped spring onions (from poly the tunnel) and some celery, added minced garlic and chili, and some sweetcorn - and then very carefully picked over crab - when the potatoes were cooked mashed them, and seasoned.  Mixed the veg and mash - added beaten egg - beat until fully mixed.  Fried in hot olive oil  until crust formed - them put in baking tray in hot oven for 20 mins.   Serve with green salad, and celeriac slaw, and some sweet chili dipping sauce.  

Celeriac slaw - grate or mandolin - carrots, red onion, celeriac into lemon juice - stir in tsp mayonnaise, tbsp natural yogurt; squeeze of lemon/lime juice (or splash of vinegar).

Salad greens - you know what your victims will embrace - I tried watercress, chichory and cos lettuce ... most of it was left, but I loved it!  Hey ho (again)

Crab cocktail

Well - bargain night at Waitrose - Cromer crab for £1 .. so, it would have been rude not to!  Mixed crab, chopped celery and tomato in mayonnaise - should have added chopped chili, but didn't have any fresh.  Season.  Chopped cos lettuce and tossed with good olive oil.  Chopped avocado and mixed with lime juice and black pepper.  Stack.  Victim was very pleased, though said presentation could have been improved by drizzle of lemon oil - and agreed about the chili.

Crab and crackers

Normally, if I were to think of crab it's with one of those "take 3 pheasant and a dozen quails eggs" moments where you can feel the £s flying out of your pocket.  BUT, thanks to the wonder of "use by" dates found BARGAIN dressed crab, and so couldn't resist.  Victim was thrilled as she loves crab, but doesn't get it often.  So mixed dressed crab with assorted chopped salady bits (spring onion, cucumber, avocado, cherry tomatoes, parsley - would have added radish if we had any) - add chopped chili (our homegrown) and squeeze of lemon juice.  Good grind of black pepper and a spinkling of sea salt, and serve on crackers.  LOVELY!