Christmas Day 2023

Washington Wizards: Crab Cake & Soup

Check out this dish inspired by the Washington Wizards, just in time for the holidays.

The #NBAXmas Cookbook offers an interactive and festive experience where NBA Fans can try recipes from all 30 teams’ home markets.

Each team was challenged to showcase a recipe that best represents their region’s most iconic culinary food. This recipe ranges from a favorite snack, dish or dessert that is unique to the team and fanbase.

Find the origin of each recipe and everything you need to create it yourself below.


Crab Cake & Soup

If you are visiting the DMV or a native to the area then you have an appreciation for crabs as well as Old Bay seasoning (originally created in Baltimore – a blend of spices)  – the two critical ingredients to crab soup and crab cakes. This recipe draws inspiration from some of the famous Maryland crabs and has a tomato base which is traditional to our area. Crabs have been a dining staple harvested from the Maryland estuary for hundreds of years.


Ingredients: 

6 tbsp. of vegetable oil
1/2 lb. diced yellow onions
1/4 lb. diced celery
1/4 lb. carrots
crab soup base
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1 lb. crushed tomatoEs
1/2 lb. frozen lima beans
1/4 lb. yellow corn kernels
1 lb. lump crab meat for soup
4 large eggs
1 lb. mayo
8 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Old Bay for soup and 8 tbsp. for crab cake
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 lb. fresh lump crab meat for crab cake
1 lb. saltine cracker crumbs
1 French baguette
8 tbsp. crushed crab chips
8 tbsp. jumbo lump crab meat
microgreens for garnish

Directions:

CRAB SOUP:

  1. Heat medium sized pot on medium 
  2. Add 4 tbsp of vegetable oil
  3. Add carrots, onions, and celery and saute until soft about five minutes 
  4. In a large bowl, follow instructions on Crap Soup Base to make 1 gallon of stock
  5. Add the stock to the pot and reduce to a simmer
  6. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, lima beans, ¼ cup of Old Bay, and yellow corn
  7. Let the soup simmer for about an hour, then right before serving add a lump of crab meat

CRAB CAKE: 

  1. Whisk together egg, mayo, parsley, 2 tbsp. of Old Bay, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cracker crumbs and lightly fold in the crab meat
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours
  3. Preheat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil 
  4. Make patties out of the crab cake using a 1/3 measuring cup
  5. Add the crab cakes gently and cook for 5 minutes on each side.

ASSEMBLY: 

  1. Pour hot soup into a soup bowl
  2. Cut a slice of French baguette on a bias. Drizzle with oil and toast in a 450 F oven for 3 minutes
  3. Add 2 tbsp. of jumbo lump crab meat to the toast and garnish with 2 tsp of crushed Old Bay chips
  4. Place cooked crab cake in the soup and top with Microgreens 

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