Crab Cakes & Southern Spoon Bread ChardonnayEntréeSeafood This recipe was created by Maggie Wetzel and featured in the book, A Taste of The Valley. The People, The Vineyards, The Wineries, and The Recipes of the Alexander Valley. In 1962, Maggie and Harry Wetzel established the Wetzel Family Estate on the property that was once the homestead of Cyrus Alexander, rancher and namesake of this prominent viticultural appellation. Maggie grew up eating crabs and lobsters on the eastern seaboard and she and Harry both loved crab cakes. – Serves 6 – Ingredients for Crab Cakes: 1 lb. crab meat 3 slices of toasted bread, crumbled 3 Tbsp. melted butter 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 5 drops hot sauce 2 Tbsp. prepared mustard ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper 1 egg, beaten Ingredients for Southern Spoon Bread: 1 ½ cups white cornmeal ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. sugar 3 eggs 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup sweet milk 2 Tbsp. melted butter Method of Preparation for Crab Cakes: Mix all ingredients well. Form into flat cakes and fry quickly on each side in hot oil (not olive oil) or bacon fat, or bake the cakes in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Method of Preparation for Southern Spoon Bread: While you are mixing the first five ingredients in a bowl, preheat the oven to 350°F and heat a buttered soufflé dish in the oven. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until thick and frothy and add to the eggs 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 cup of sweet milk with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Pour this onto the cornmeal and mix it quickly and lightly with a slotted spoon. Pour the batter into the heated dish and bake for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.
