NuM NuM

Crab cakes...num, dill sauce...num, broccoli...num, shrimp...eh. This dinner was a group effort between lobster and I. He made the yummy dill sauce and removed the gross veins from the shrimp-I get squeemish, and I made the crab cakes and broccoli. This was a great light meal to start off the new year right. These crab cakes were a healthy treat because they were not fried but baked in the oven. Also, there's very little mayo in the recipe and the mayo I did use was light so we saved some calories there. They had a good crab to breadcrumb ratio, more crabby then just eating straight up breadcrumbs. However, next time I make them I will have to remember a few things. I should omit the last bit of salt to the panko. When I tasted the crab mixture it was pretty salty already due to the crab, so it really didn't need the extra salt in the panko. Also, when I tried to form my cakes they would not stay together so I had to add a little more panko to the mixture and that helped them stay together.

Now for the roasted broccoli with shrimp, this is my new favorite way to eat broccoli. Roasting the shrimp didn't really do much for me, but roasting the broccoli is nummmmmmm. The edges get nice and brown and caramelized and it brings out a nuttyness that you wouldn't get from steaming or pan frying...you must try it!! This is my second time making the recipe and I pretty much follow it to the T, but I don't use nearly as much olive oil as the recipe calls for. I just drizzle a tiny bit over the vegetables and spray them with pam so the seasonings will adhere to them. Also, I just eyeball the S&P, lemon zest, and amount of juice I squirt over the lemons, so it's easy peezy.

Crab cakes
Makes 4 crab cakes
Adapted from here

1/2 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over and coarsely shredded (I used king crab legs)
1 1/2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1/8 cup minced fresh chives
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
Stir crabmeat, mayonnaise, chives, lemon juice, mustard, pepper, and 1 tablespoon panko in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat, add garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden and starts to smell garlicky, about 2 minutes. Add herbes de Provence, salt, and remaining panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Discard garlic.
Form crabmeat mixture into four small patties, and carefully turn each patty in the crumb mixture until it is coated. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve crab cakes with sauce.


Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp
Serves 4
Adapted from here

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving


Lemon Dill Sauce:
Adapted from here

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced

To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Refrigerate until chilled. The sauce will thicken as it chills