Crab

Crab-and-Shrimp Cake Sliders

This was one of my entries into the 2014 Mezzetta Make That Sandwich contest.

Crab cake sliders? Is that possible? Yes! And they are calorie-friendly and taste incredible. That is an important combination (calorie budget friendly and delicious.) On my podcast Make Your Someday Today, we talk about how to combine important life features, such as meeting deadlines and still enjoying life.

Crab-and-Shrimp Cake Sliders
Serves 24 sliders

2 dozen small buns
1 jar (drained) Mezzetta Gourmet Deli Roasted Bell Pepper strips & Caramelized Onions
Shredded lettuce

Sliders:
4 egg whites
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup plain, fat-free Greek-style yogurt
½ cup Mezzetta Cocktail Onions, chopped, drained
2 tablespoons Mezzetta Capers, chopped
1 can (6 ounce) lump crab meat, drained

1 can (4 ounces) tiny shrimp, drained
  1. Slice the buns. Set aside.
  2. Combine the first five slider ingredients together.
  3. Fold in crab and shrimp, mixing only until combined.
  4. With clean wet hands, form the mix into ping-pong size balls. You should get approximately 24. Set aside.
  5. Combine the four sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. (At this point, the sliders can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. The sauce will be better if left to become fully-flavored overnight.)
  6. When ready to cook, pre-heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
  7. Spray with cooking spray.
  8. Working in batches, place the crab-and-shrimp balls in the skillet. Gently press to flatten. They should be approximately 2 inches in diameter. Do not crowd them they should not be touching.
  9. Let fry until the edges get golden, then flip. (2-3 minutes per side, depending on the heat and how many are in the skillet.)
  10. Open the buns.
  11. Sprinkle lettuce on the bottom, and top that with Roasted Bell Pepper strips & Caramelized Onions.
  12. Place cooked slider on next, and top with approximately 1 tablespoon sauce.
  13. Serve hot.


Nutritional Data (per slider)
Calories:         27
Fat:                0.1g
Sat fat:           0.0g
Chol:        25.9mg
Sodium:  104.6mg
Carbs:            2.5g
Fiber:             0.1g
Protein:          3.3g

Sauce:
1 cup low fat mayonnaise
12 Mezzetta Garlic Stuffed Olives, sliced
12 Mezzetta Cocktail Onions, coarsely chopped
 ½ ounce Mezzetta Roasted Red Bell Pepper, chopped

Nutritional Data (per tablespoon)
Calories:         31
Fat:                3.1g
Sat fat:           0.3g
Chol:              0mg
Sodium:  166.2mg
Carbs:            1.4g
Fiber:             0.1g
Protein:          0.1g


Dublin Lawyer (my version)

Dublin Lawyer
Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
2 cans crab (or 8 ounces crab meat)
12 ounces cooked shrimp
1/4 cup whiskey
1 cup minced shallot (about 4 large)
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 plain Greek yogurt
Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

  1. Melt the butter in a large (10″) non-stick sauce pan.
  2. Saute shallots until they become soft.
  3. Add the cooked shrimp and crab meat. Stir together of medium-high heat.
  4. Add whiskey. Turn heat in high, and CAREFULLY flame the dish.  (This burns off the alcohol and concentrates the flavors.
  5. Stir in half and half and yogurt.  Stir until well mixed.
  6. Season to taste.

Nutritional data:
Calories:        199
Fat:                8.3g
Sat fat:           4.7g
Chol:          127.8mg
Sodium:     703.7mg
Carbs:           8.1g
Fiber:                0g
Protein:        22.8g

Note: I don’t have access to fresh crab. I used canned crab, which increased the sodium content. But the dish was still really tasty and a nice change of pace.  Also, traditionally is only uses crab, but I had shrimp on hand so I used that in addition to the crab.  It worked.

Carrots in Beer and Dill
Serves 4

1 pound bag of baby carrots
1 cup of beer
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon dried dill

  1. Cut the carrots in half the long way.
  2. Place carrots in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
  3. Add beer. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.
  4. Stir occasionally.
  5. If the beer evaporates, add a little more. (It probably won’t need more.)
  6. Just before serving, add a teaspoon butter and dill.  Toss to coat and serve.

Nutritional data:
Calories:         61
Fat:                   1g
Sat fat:           0.6g
Chol:             2.5mg
Sodium:       32.5mg
Carbs:           8.1g
Fiber:            1.3g
Protein:         0.9g