#SundaySupper Christmas Eve Crab Cakes

Crab cakes with dip, shrimp salad,
scungilli salad, stuffed mushrooms

Christmas Eve is the big tradition in our family. It's more important than any other holiday, even Christmas itself. We do a modernized version of the Italian feast of the seven fishes. My family - my mom, my siblings, and I - are a rare breed: full-blooded Italian-Americans. None of my first cousins can make that claim. So Christmas Eve - our tradition - is a big deal.



A little more than ten years ago, My Director and I started contributing to the feast of the seven fishes. We decided to make crab cakes. Now those crab cakes have become a centerpiece of our Christmas Eve, which we now host. Please enjoy this very special recipe, from our family to yours.

Ingredients:

For Crab Cakes:

• 3 lbs. lump crab meat
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 small-medium red onions
• 6 celery stalks
• 2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Mustard
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2-3 cups bread crumbs (Depending on how moist you want them.)
• vegetable oil

For Red Pepper Dip:

• 2 red peppers, cut in half
• 6 oz. mayonnaise
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Cooking spray

Tools:

• Food Processor/Blender
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Large Skillet
• 2 spatulas
• Large pyrex
• cookie sheet
• plastic wrap

Procedure:

For Crab Cakes:

1. Slice and combine red peppers, red onion, and celery in a food processor. Pulse them until they're fine.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add veggie mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Fold everything together until well mixed. Form patties. Don't make them too big. They should fit into the cup of your hands. (Smaller and thinner than a hamburger, bigger than a slider.)
4. Coat large skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat until hot.
5. Heat oven to 350.
6. Fry crab cakes 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. (Now, I push it with the moisture of the crab cakes. I've been doing these for ten years, though. So I walk a fine line. They come very close to disintegrating when I turn them over. The first couple of times you try this recipe, I'd err on the side of adding more bread crumbs.)
7. That's why I use two spatulas.
8. Place crab cakes in pyrex lined with paper towel (to drain the grease). When you've completed a row, put another paper towel on top of them, then pilie on another layer of crab cakes.
9. Bake in oven 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through.
10. Makes about 20

For Red Pepper Dip:

1. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place halved red peppers on cookie sheet under broiler for 10 minutes, or until skin starts to bubble.
3. Put broiled peppers into a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes. This helps the skins peel off easier.
4. Peel skins. Place in food processor with mayo and blend well, until somewhat smooth. 
5. Salt and pepper to taste.

For more on how our Christmas Eve tradition has evolved, and survived, over the years, check out this post.

And check these other Christmas tradition recipes from the #SundaySupper crew:

Breakfast

• Eggs Benedict by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Holiday Cream Cheese Tea Ring by That Skinny Chick can Bake
• Orange Refrigerator Rolls by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Appetizers & Snacks

• Chicken Liver Pate by Tora’s Real Food
• Bindaetteok {Mung Bean Pancakes} by Kimchi Mom
• Crab and Asparagus Soup by The Urban Mrs.

Sides

• Potato Salad {Schwaebischer Kartoffelsalat} by Galactopdx
• Italian Orange Salad by Shockingly Delicious
• Sweet Potato Casserole by Magnolia Days
• Carrots au gratin by Juanitas Cocina

Main Dishes

• Char Siu Bao – Chinese Roast Pork Buns by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Savory Crepe Cake by Vintage Kitchen
• West Indian Curried Goat by The ROXX Box
• Pot Cheese and Potato Cheese Pierogies by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Seafood Gumbo and Grilled Oysters: A Louisiana Christmas Tradition by the Catholic Foodie
• Mom’s Paella by What Smells So Good?
• Portuguese inspired Chorizo Crown Pork Roast by Family Foodie
• Dorie’s Chicken in a Pot by Gotta Get Baked
• New Year’s Eve Buckwheat Noodles with Mochi by The Ninja Baker
• Mile High Lasagna by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Crab Cakes for Christmas Eve by Daddy Knows Less

Desserts

• Pizzelles {Italian Wafer Cookies} by Chocolate Moosey
• Fudge by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
• Crescent Cookies by Cookistry
• Christmas Stollen by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Pfeffernussen by The Foodie Army Wife
• Creme De Menthe Cake by I Run for Wine
• Panettone Bread Pudding by the Country Girl in the Village
• Spiced Gingerbread Gooey Butter Cake | A twist on a St. Louis Favorite by Daily Dish Recipes
• Chocolate Gingerbread Cake with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
• Jamaican Christmas Pudding by Lovely Pantry
• White Chocolate Cranberry Santa Cookies by Mooshu Jenne
• Christmas Tree Cookies by Damn Delicious
• Old Fashioned Lady Fingers {Creamhorns} by The Meltaways
• Rose Milk Almond Falooda {Indian Dessert Drink} by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Drinks

• Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Cinnamon Infused Hot Chocolate with Southern Comfort Whipped Cream by Mama Mommy Mom

Merry Christmas!