Each week we survey the Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s agents and staff to find out their favorite picks for restaurants, local hangout’s and such. This week we wanted to know where to get our hands on some sumptuous crab cakes. According to the 1930’s Crosby Gaige’s New York World’s Fair Cookbook they are called “Baltimore crab cakes,” suggesting they have long been known in the South. So, if they are a part of the Southern soul, where is the best place here in the Southern capital to eat them?
The most popular choice: Houston’s according to founder and CEO Jenny Pruitt, Houston’s and Bacchanalia are neck in neck with their seafood creation of crab cakes. Kevin McBride, Margaret Rodbell and Sydna Worthington all agree Houston’s tops the list.
What about a little lesser known spot? Our newest agent a self-proclaimed “seafood snob”, Jim Glover, is enthusiastic about Amuse Restaurant and Lounge | 560 Dutch Valley Road, Atlanta GA | 404-888-1890
Jay Bailey, a native Atlantean, loves Cafe Lily: 308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. Decatur, GA 404-371-9119
Rather give the culinary bites of heaven a try yourself? The Atlanta Fish Market was generous enough to share their recipe:
Atlanta Fish Market Crab Cakes Recipe
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons white pepper
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
2 cups soft, white bread crumbs
4 eggs
4 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked clean of all shells, see *Cook’s Note
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 lemon wedges, for serving
Tartar sauce, for serving, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine cayenne, white pepper, salt, dry mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, seafood seasoning, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and eggs in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Place crabmeat in another large bowl and gently fold egg mixture into crabmeat, being careful not to break up large crab pieces. Shape into 4 crab cakes.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes, in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly browned, approximately 1 minute on each side. Transfer crab cakes to a sheet pan (or place skillet in oven if oven-safe) and finish cooking the crab cakes in the oven until heated through. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, if desired.
*Cook’s Note: If removing fresh cooked crabmeat from shells, be careful not to break large crabmeat nuggets
Always love a great crab cakes recipe, Thanks!