Crab season is here, polenta crusted cod and crab cakes

The other week I saw the first crab of the year for sale. I thought I would come back and buy it later but the fishmonger had of course sold out by then. I couldn’t believe it and I haven’t been able to get any until today, joy! I could not believe my luck and I knew I had to buy one. I got a small piece of cod as well before heading home with what I felt was the catch of the day!
There has been quite a lot going on around the house but the major changes have been outside. When we moved in there was a quite overgrown garden, designed to be easy to maintained but it was lacking in TLC and there were more ivy than anything else.
M took on the garden like a man possessed and four truck loads of garden waste, and a healthy loss of blood in the process (mainly fighting with the ivy) later we now love the garden! There is now a veg patch and a herb garden where I picked herbs for tonight’s dinner.
Once I had it all I was ready to start cooking and it was cod and crab cakes on tonight’s menu! I am not crazy about breaded food so I replaced the bread crumbs with polenta.
Cod and Crab cakes
preparation time 15 minutes
cooking time 20 minutes + time for pan frying
serves 3
Ingredients
The cod
- a medium piece of cod
- 2 bayleaves
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- boiling water
- salt
The cod and crab cakes
- poached and flaked, de boned cod
- 1 whole crab, cooked
- 1 dl or 1/2 cup of mash potato
- 1 red chilli
- 2 sprigs of lemon thyme
- 2 spring onions
- 2 tbsp flavored mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- polenta
- salt & pepper
De seed and chop the chilli, add the lemon thyme leaves and slice the spring onions.
Remove the shell from the crab and remove the meat. I bought the crab cooked, and it was amazingly fresh and delicious. Once when I was little, I think around 8 years old my mum bought a whole box of live crabs. The fisherman delivered them and she put the box of crabs down on the kitchen floor. Before we knew it the crabs had escaped and were crawling around the kitchen! I was mainly just standing on the kitchen table and it was hours before order was restored and the crabs cooked and cooling, waiting to be frozen. With this still in mind I was quite pleased that the crab was cooked.
I picked out all of the crab meat
I mixed the crab meat with the chopped chilli, spring onions and lemon thyme and I also added the flaked cod and the mash potatoes. Mix it gently with the the mayonnaise sauce, don’t break up the cod flakes too much.
I whisked the egg and shaped the cod and crab mixture to cakes. I dipped them in the egg and then in polenta.
I did a mayonnaise sauce to go with the cakes. It is very easy to make mayonnaise and it tastes so much better.
Lemon and chive mayonnaise
preparation time 10 minutes
cooking time 0 minutes
serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp mustard, a smooth type like dijon
- rapeseed oil, about 2 dl or 1 cup
- 1 bunch of chives
- 1 garlic clove
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- a pinch of cracked black pepper
Put the egg yolk, the vinegar and the mustard in a bowl and whisk. I use rapeseed oil as I want to support British produce and I like the mild flavor but any vegetable oil will be good to use. Add the oil a little at the time and whisk to make sure it starts to thicken. Add all of the oil, more oil will make it thicker.
Chop the chives, crush the garlic and grate over the lemon zest, last add the pepper to taste and set aside until ready to serve.
I had a fennel and M did a fennel and orange salad dressed with honey flavored vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
I pan fried the fish cakes in oil. Polenta makes for a crispier surface than breadcrumbs and it was a good contrast to the soft cod and crab mixture inside.
The mayonnaise sauce was very nice with the fish cakes and there is enough for lunch for tomorrow as well!
For once I am not late and I am taking this big plate to the Fiesta Friday party, hosted by the lovely Angie, host of the lovely blog The Novice Gardener. Also co hosting this week are Prudy, host of the inspiring blog ButterBasilandBreadcrumbs, and Indira with the blog who’s name always makes me smile, I’llCook,YouWash! Have a look around and your head will be full of lovely recipes and ideas!
Comments
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[…] over the other? There’s no way! So, this spot is shared by both Petra@Food Eat Love with her Cod and Crab Cakes and Nancy@Feasting With Friends with her Crabby Patties. I think Sponge Bob and Patrick Star both […]
You have done a great job on your garden – and I know how much work that takes. Crab cakes – so good.
hi Hilda
Thank you 🙂 I wish could say it was me but I can’t! 🙂 The garden is completely changed and I am so happy! Love crab cakes 🙂
I see we’re on the same same wave-length. 🙂 I too posted crab cakes at Fiesta Friday. Your version sounds delicious, I love your additions of chili’s! And the polenta? Great idea!
hi Nancy
oh, I must have a look now! I added some cod as I only bought one crab so it was sort of a mix between a crab and a fish cake 🙂
It sounds like a delicious combination! I really like the polenta twist on them too!
Oh…hahahaha!! I would have been on the table too!! Even today, I’d be on the table!!
Your yard…your garden. Just beautiful. I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t had the chance to get outside to work in the yard, and even if I tried, it’s still so wet we would sink into the ground!! I’m just anticipating the time when I can finally get my herb garden growing!! No more buying precut fresh herbs that only last a couple of days!! Yay!! The love and hard work that you put into your yard truly shows…
And…the cod and crab cakes? Perfect!! I have been searching and searching for a really good recipe for crab cakes…I think you just provided it! Seriously Petra….I’m really excited about this! My husband and I are heading to the cabin for the weekend, and since it’s just the two of us, this will be a fun thing to try for dinner…maybe with a small salad!
They are the perfect thing to bring to Fiesta Friday…and I thank you so much for sharing this recipe with all of us! Just wonderful… ❤
hi Prudy
ha ha I am still not fond of cooking the crabs and the fishmonger does such a fab job! 🙂
Well the garden is all down to the man, I have the odd impact on the plants (I prefer them all to be edible) but yes, even the herb garden is a treat and I love just heading out and pick them straight away! 🙂
A small salad is perfect, Nancy at http://feastingwithfriendsblog.com/ did some amazing looking crab cakes that also sounds amazing for inspiration! 🙂 x
This sound great, I love that you used both crab and cod. And I’m super jealous of those herbs, I do not have the green thumb needed for gardening
hi Alex
Thank you. I have to confess I don’t have a single green finger and am so lucky the man does! 🙂
Wow!! These look delicious!! I am glad that you brought them to the Fiesta! 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend! xx Jhuls
Thank you Julhs
I am glad you like them! have a lovely weekend, we have a forecast of rain here so a great excuse to get some lovely produce and get cooking! 🙂 x
I love rainy days!! 🙂 Enjoy and have a pleasant weekend!
Wow, Petra! You have a beautiful yard! I am very envious!! Your crab cakes look and sound to die for! I would eat these in a heartbeat – love the idea of the lemon thyme as an addition….mmmm….my mouth is watering! 😀
hi Julianna
Thank you 🙂 Am so glad you like them! The yard is great, I will take an after picture when it is sunny! 🙂 x
Looking forward to that! 😀
Hi! i’m Simi an italian food blogger! i love fiesta friday! thanks for your recipe! greetings from Italy!
hi Simi
Thanks for stopping by! I agree with you, Fiesta Friday is great! Glad you like the recipe! 🙂
Oh my, this looks amazing! AIP question tho – do you eat corn?
Thank you! and thanks for stopping by! I love corn! 🙂
I have been out KILLING myself doing TONS of yard work– it can be so rewarding though. It is too early for my herbs to be in full swing– so jealous of yours- they look great!
I love your dish- I have never made crab cakes without buying the crab meat already picked out for me!! I’m so impressed that you did all of that hard work too. It looks delicious!
hi Josette
Thank you 🙂 Picking a crab is easy, you just need a seafood spoon/fork. I realized I didn’t have a nutcracker for the claws but the rolling pin worked just as well!
We are so pleased with the yard, it looks a little bare still and give it a year or so the herb garden will look much more alive but I can pick herbs already and what a difference it makes! Am sure your yard looks great and am sure your herbs will be amazing! 🙂
I love a polenta crust and it must have been lovely on these crabcakes. I’m also envious of your herb garden. We moved to a house last year and I have plans to take out a lot of the bushes and find a little area for herbs and vegetables but I haven’t managed to yet.
hi Corina
If it was up to me I would have made very slow progress, I have never seen so many yukka plants! All gone to make room for a greenhouse and a veg patch! 🙂 The herb garden was mainly covered in masses of ivy! I love polenta crust, it has a very nice crunch 🙂
Yummm! Those look delicious. N love that lemon n chive mayo!
hi Saida
Thank you and thank you for stopping by 🙂 The mayo worked with the cod and crab cakes.
What a wonderful plate, catch of the day indeed! I adore crabs, and your polenta crust sounds creative and delicious. Great photo of the mayonnaise on crab cakes. And the fennel salad too, yum! 😀
hi Saucy
Thank you 🙂 Crab and cod works great together and the fennel salad was great and it added that extra crunch.
Oh what a funny story about the crabs crawling around your kitchen! Haha, I prefer mine pre-cooked as well, Petra! Your cod and crab cakes look so good. 🙂
hi Patty
Thank you 🙂 Yes I still remember all the crabs and my mom chasing them around!!
The crab cakes look delicious–I’m getting hungry! Your garden looks great too!
hi Ada
Thank you! On both counts, the man has done amazing things to the garden and we love being out there 🙂
What a wonderful dish, I love the polenta you have used for the coating much better than breadcrumbs. I can only imagine how good these tasted with a lovely fresh salad, I so want one now 😀
hi Emma
I love to use polenta, it doesn’t look quite as golden as bread crumbs but I think it tastes better 🙂