“Crab” Cakes

Since becoming a vegetarian, I’ve consistently been asked two questions. The first, which is no surprise, is why – but that’s a whole other column. The second has mostly come from people I’ve lived with, who became exposed to vegetarian cooking because they shared the same stove top; they always wanted to know why vegetarians don’t eat meat but are usually trying to replicate it in taste and texture. For me, it’s a silly question, because my answer is simple: I didn’t stop eating meat because I don’t like the taste. And I’m beginning to think that’s a common misconception among meat-eaters – and perhaps why they’re so hesitant to try anything that spoofs on the real deal. (Although with spellings like “chikin,” I sometimes can’t blame them.) But I want to assure all you carnivores that when people become vegetarians, it doesn’t mean our taste buds magically disappear; I like to think they get exercised more than they used to as we experiment with different versions of traditionally meat-based recipes. And I think the biggest factor in a successful replication is how you season the dish. If you bring in flavors that are familiar, most of your work is done. After that, it’s just texture and appearance. This issue we’re diving into crab cakes. At some point, someone realized that zucchini is an acceptable substitute for crab meat, and after playing around with it, I can safely say I concur. When peeled, the color is close, and since this summer squash has a mild flavor on its own, it can take on others with ease. Enter Old Bay seasoning. I think we can agree that this is the flavor profile most people are familiar with when eating seafood, so its presence is somewhat mandatory. Other staples specific to this dish include lemon juice, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce, which you can buy anchovy-free without sacrificing the taste. I also added a bit of red bell pepper to get some of the sweetness inherent in crab meat. Texturally speaking, the first time I made this dish, I used all zucchini. It tasted fine, but I felt like it wasn’t “full,” if that makes sense. So I replaced a fourth of the squash with potato; it’s a bit more beefy (ha) but also fairly mild in taste, so it would be able to absorb the seasonings. Whichever way you choose to do it, just make sure you pull out as much moisture as you can. This is key; otherwise your cakes will be mushy and won’t hold together very well. Buon appetito! “Crab” Cakes 4 servings 1½ cups peeled, coarsely grated zucchini ½ cup peeled, coarsely grated russet potato Salt ½ red bell pepper, diced 1 cup bread crumbs 1 egg, beaten 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise Juice of ½ lemon 2 tsp. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce* 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley Vegetable oil, for frying • Place the grated zucchini and potato in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to draw out the water. Squeeze to extract as much liquid as you can. • In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, potato, bell pepper and bread crumbs. • In a separate bowl, combine the egg, Old Bay, Dijon, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and parsley. Mix well. • Pour the liquid mixture into the bread crumb mixture and combine gently. Measure out ¼ cup and roll into a ball. Place it on a plate and gently press it into a patty. Repeat until you have eight patties. • Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Dust the patties with flour and add them to the pan in batches. Cook on both sides until well-browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. • Serve with your preferred sauce. * Available at Local Harvest Grocery