Holiday Seafood Cakes A Holiday Recipe From Chef Mario
A holiday family favorite
“For years, my family’s holiday dinner consisted of the traditional menu — same old, same old,” said Mario Jones, executive chef at AKB in Archer Hotel Tysons.
“Whether Thanksgiving or Christmas, we were always preparing the classic staples: turkey, ham, candied yams, giblet stuffing, et cetera,” he said. “So one year, we decided to mix it up a bit. I suggested making seafood dishes instead.
“The family decided to get creative and come up with some seafood favorites to bring over to my mother’s house. The menu included seafood cakes (which was the fan favorite), Parmesan-crusted cod, seafood scampi, broiled stuffed bluefish, grilled lobster tails, tomatoes stuffed with wild rice and salmon, cold tuna and shrimp pasta salad, roasted corn jalapeño crab stuffing and lobster mac ’n’ cheese.”
While the seafood-themed meal was a hit with most of the family, chef Mario’s mom yearned for the traditional holiday dishes.
Chef Mario added, “Mother was not too happy about the whole setup. She demanded that we prepare collard greens, green beans with smoked ham, and some good old-fashioned corn pudding on the side.”
These days, chef Mario’s family compromises with the best of both worlds.
“We keep the new seafood tradition going at one of our family gatherings every year.”
These savory seafood cakes would make a delicious addition to any holiday table.
Chef Mario’s Holiday Seafood Cakes
1 pound lobster meat
1 pound shrimp, peeled
1 pound lump crab meat
3 whole eggs
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
¼ cup red peppers, small-diced
¼ cup green peppers, small-diced
- To a pot with boiling water, add shrimp and blanch, about one minute. Remove shrimp and let cool.
- To a food processor, add the cooled shrimp and lobster meat. Lightly chop.
- To a mixing bowl, add mixture and crab meat; mix by hand.
- To a second mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Fold in the seafood mixture.
- Heat oven to 350˚ and grease a cookie sheet. Use a cookie scoop to place cakes on the cookie sheet. Bake until the outer layers are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Bon appétit!
