Sunday, July 15, 2012

Poor Man's Crab Cakes (Made With Zucchini?)

My little garden did not do well this year, the rabbits ate my string bean plants and the cukes never properly matured. The one thing that is thriving though is the zucchini... I have lots of zucchini, 
l-o-t-s of zucchini.
So, how about a fun way to use some up, Faux Crab Cakes! 
Now, living on the East Coast I've had some mighty fine crab cakes, am I saying this is going to take their place? Absolutely not! But I am saying this is a great way to sneak even more zucchini on to the plates of your family and friends. And after all, isn't that what summer's all about:@)

Poor Man's Crab Cakes-adapted from Laura Williams' Musings
1 1/2 C shredded zucchini, patted dry
1 C breadcrumbs
2 Tblsp grated onion
2 Tblsp flour
1 Tblsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning-I used 2 tsp
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp dry mustard-optional
1 Tblsp very finely diced red (preferably) or green bell pepper-optional
Oil for frying, maybe 1/4" in pan
1. Combine everything except oil.
2. Heat oil and drop by rounded spoonfuls into oil and fry each side until golden and crispy.
3. Serve with tartar sauce.

Notes:
  • I squeezed some of the liquid out of the squash.
  • You can add whatever you like in crab cakes, I added a little diced bell pepper and ground mustard.
  • I made a half batch and using a 1 1/4" scoop, it made 12 cakes. Just flatten them out once they're in the frying pan.
  • Used my homemade jalapeno relish for the tartar sauce, very nice!
  • If you click the link to Laura's blog above she lists a recipe for homemade Old Bay Spice too.
  • This is a novelty dish that's fun for when you run out of ideas for the zukes. If you have room in your diet for a fried food and extra zukes to use up I say give it a try. The tartar sauce really makes these good.

53 comments:

  1. Well, I love crab cakes...but pretty much anything fried with a dipping sauce is okay with me! Our local "fancy place" makes the best zucchini blossoms, stuffed with herb cheese and tempura fried. Yum

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  2. I love crab cakes, so I need to give this one a try. Sounds good. Hugs, marty

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  3. Sounds like a great way to use up zucchini! Sounds DE-LISH!

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  4. I can't wait to try this out!!!

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  5. These are an absolutely brilliant idea! My zucchinis are are coming to an end, but I have 6 large ones in the firg! I am bumping lone of my menus this week to make your Poor Mans Crab Cakes!
    YUMMY! Thanks for joining ON THE MENU MONDAY. I am making your pickled beets this week too!

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  6. What a great idea!! Zucchini never stops producing, does it?

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    1. It's the Energizer Bunny of the garden:@)

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  7. looking yummmy this dish i will try it :)
    fashion

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  8. I LOVE crab cakes! and I have LOTS of zukes! so I'll give this a try.
    thank you.
    xo

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  9. I love zucchini so this is right up my alley!

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  10. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!! I have lots of zuchini and we love crab cakes!

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  11. Hi Lynnie! Oh, I've never heard of faux crab cakes. These look delish and I just may have to try this!! :) You're just the best cook.
    Hope you've had a great weekend and be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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  12. This sounds really good, and another wonderful way to use up zucchini!

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  13. Oh, these looks so good. Do you think we could use other veggies?
    I might try that too! Thanks for this recipe.
    Sherry

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  14. I love zucchini, but ours didn't do anything this year. Not sure if it's because we only planted one or if the heat played a number on our tiny vegetable garden. Either way, our tomatoes were the only thing that did anything. Guess I'll continue buying my zucchini at the store, so thanks for showing me something new to do with it. Have a great week!

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  15. Your crab cakes looks tasty
    Based on your delicious crab cakes with zucchini photos, we'd like to invite you to submit your food photos on a Food Photography site so our readers can enjoy your creations.
    It is absolutely free and fun to make others hungry!

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  16. Putting this on in the zucchini file too! Where were you with these ideas a few years ago when we were overrun with the stuff, and I had exactly one recipe for it beside breads?

    (Also liked your public service message below. I had wondered about the smiley face thingies and didn't realize that it was unintentional when done.)

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  17. This sounds delish! My zucchini did not come up this year so I'm hoping my parents plant (only one of their's came up) will produce plenty so they will share :)

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  18. I just did a post on these too... we call em zucchini/squash patties or fritters, been makin em for a few years now. I love, love, love them and the old bay seasoning is my favorite to add to mine. Then I eat em with some ranch dressing and tomato slices... actually I ate these for dinner last night with corn on cob :)

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  19. I do zucchini cakes too - sometimes I add canned tuna. I found you on Stone Gable's On the Menu Monday. I have linked in a fried chicken dish that you don't want to look at if you are dieting! Have a nice week.

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  20. These look fantastic. Can't wait to try them for myself!!

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  21. I have been missing in action and had to spend a few minutes going through about 10 posts. You always have such fun and informative posts! These look wonderful. I didn't get around to any zucchini this year so I will have to pick some up at the store. Love Jennifer's idea to eat them with fresh tomatoes too.

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  22. Lynn~ What a great way to use zucchini~ don't wish everything grew so vigorously?!

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  23. love crab cakes - and zucchini cakes!! perfect
    Mary x

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  24. Oh, boy, do these look fantastic! And what a great idea to use Old Bay...my can doesn't get a lot of attention here in the landlocked Midwest :)

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  25. These sound like zucchini cakes to me! But I love zukes, so that is good. :-)

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  26. You have solved a problem for me. My freezer is loaded with grated Zuc. from last season and I have no desire to make bread right now...this will be just right. These will make a nice side dish and might be good with some minced ham or even bacon bits added in. Thanks!

    I'm thinking that I will need to get a binder for all of your recipe's I like!!! xo

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  27. What a good recipe this is. I would be popping these in my mouth before they even hit the platter. Love the idea.

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  28. Yum yum yum - I really need to read your blog BEFORE I go to the grocery store because now I have to go back again.

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  29. Our cucs didn't do well either but we've had loads of perfect tomatoes! This crab cakes sound really delish! Thanks for sharing the recipe:)

    ~Cindy

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  30. I vaguely remember making something like this but I am interested in trying your recipe. It is probably the Old Bay Seasoning that gives it the crab taste. Yours sure do look delicious!

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  31. I must pass this on to my BIL who has been given enough zucchini to last a lifetime. Great idea Lynn.
    Sam

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  32. Oh happy day, another great zuke recipe to try!! Thanks for sharing. Too bad about your cukes and beans, though.

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  33. Oh yeah I love me some zucchini,love this recipe.No garden this year for us nor my father-n-law,(I MISS THAT),we had to drive a few miles thru the back woods and buy tomotoes for canning,it was fun though,loved MOORES FARMS,MANOR GEORGIA.

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  34. Oh by the way I just "pinned" your recipe on my pinterest http://pinterest.com/pin/55943220342112865/

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  35. http://pinterest.com/jomay133/

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  36. Hi Lynn,
    What a great idea and awesome flavor, can't wait to make this recipe. Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  37. I love both zucchini cakes and crab cakes. I have to check this out. Please share your recipe on my foodie friday party today.

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  38. Visiting from Full Plate Thursday. This is a great idea for when the budget doesn't have room for crab. Thanks for sharing!

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  39. What a fun idea! If all the zucchini in my garden hadn't been killed by squash bugs, I'd totally try this!

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  40. looks yummy. but the hubby does not love seafood. i would sure try it though. (:

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  41. This is an awesome recipe -- I have one more zucchini left and may have to try this. Thank you~!

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  42. They look so good!

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  43. Sounds scrumptious ~ thanks for sharing ~ ~ thanks, namaste, (A Creative Harbor)

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  44. It doesn't sound poor to me. I think it sounds divine. Yummy!

    http://theapels.blogspot.com/2012/07/digging-potatoes.html

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  45. Yummy! That sounds very similar to a zucchini patty recipe I make. I just wish I had a thriving zucchini plant or two this summer.

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  46. i can't wait to try this recipe! We've made zucchini fritters and breaded fried zucchini, this sounds kind of similar, but i bet the seasonings really make it really yummy. i never thought to serve with tarter sauce! Yum!

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  47. From Baltimore, the real and only home of crabcakes: add 1tsp worchestershire, 1-2tsp baking powder, dash of salt, and another 1-2tsp Old Bay.

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