We have spent most of the Spring and Summer in Ocean City, Maryland. The majority of our time was spent on re-vamping an old mobile home. It belonged to my husbands parents for years. In fact, it’s been 20 years since they sold it. I can tell you it’s a good thing walls can’t talk! So many memories and happy times were spent there. Fixing it up and bringing it back to life has been a lot of fun. We are, quite cozy there.
Ocean City is an attraction known to many. We are fortunate enough to live close by. Both my husband and myself, spent our summers there when we were younger. I worked there a couple of summers in my teens. Sun, surf, and sand, and lets not forget about the famous boardwalk. It also has some fantastic restaurants with delicious and creative foods.
We were on our way out to dinner and got sidetracked with a project. Needless to say by the time we were done it was “LATE”. We stopped at a place called “Ropewalk”. They were closing in 10 minutes. The hostess was gracious enough to tell us to “come on in, there’s still time”. Am I ever glad she did. Tired and cranky at this point, I perused the menu. I was trying to find something that wouldn’t be a lot of trouble because of the late hour. Under appetizers was a Crab Egg Roll. That was it for me, I was intrigued and hungry.
That egg roll has haunted me and my taste buds for months. So much so, we have been back several times just to have them. So….I bought a pound of crab meat and some egg roll wrappers. I made them last night and all I can say is “I put my foot in this one”. (an expression one of my work colleagues uses) They were as good as I remember and so easy to make.
Here is my crab cake recipe. I also concocted a Chili sauce for dipping. The restaurant serves theirs with a Thai Chili Aioli. Mine is similar and both the hubster and I think it was perfect. I encourage you to try this one. You can thank me later!!!
Crab Cake Sauce:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 T Mayonnaise, (I use Heinz) just make sure it’s a good one
- 1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
- 2 t of Old Bay seasoning
- 2 t Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 t salt
- Chohula sauce (or hot sauce of choice) I used two good shakes, use to your taste
- 2 T fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 C plain Panko (you could also used crushed saltines, but omit the salt)
- 1 lb of fresh picked crab meat (pick through to remove any left over cartilage) Pasturized crab meat will also work well.
- 1 package of large Wonton or Egg Roll wrappers. (Usually found in the produce section near the salad fixings and salad dressings)
- Small dish of water
- Peanut oil for frying
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large bowl combine the egg, mayo, dijon, Old Bay, Worcestershire, salt and Chohula sauce. Mix together with a whisk until it is well combined.
- Add the parsley and stir.
- Add the crab and the panko and gently fold into the sauce.
- At this point unless you are cooking them right away put this mixture in the fridge until ready to use.
- When ready to assemble and cook: cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornstarch. Have a dry towel at the ready to cover the egg rolls once made.
- Have your Wonton wrappers read, keep covered to prevent them from drying out, and a small bowl of water.
- Prepare your fryer by bringing your oil to 325 degrees. I used a deep cast iron skillet. You can also use a wok, or a fryer if you have one.
- Take your crab mixture and place in the center of the wrapper at a diagonal. (see above photo). I used about a 1/4 C of filling leaving about 1 inch of wrapper on both sides. Fold up the bottom corner over the filling and roll half way then fold the sides over. Dip your finger into the water and coat the top corner of the wrapper then seal and press to close. Place them on your prepared baking sheet and cover with a dry towel. (DO NOT REFRIGERATE OR THE WRAPPERS WILL CRACK)
- Fry the rolls until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, cut in half on a diagonal, and serve warm with dipping sauce.
*Note: Egg roll wrappers are the same as Wonton wrappers. The difference is really in the size. You can use either! It depends on how large you would like them!
Chili Sauce:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 C mayonnaise
- 3 t sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 tsp siracha sauce or to your taste
Mix all together and serve on side of your egg rolls for dipping.
Til next time,
Ciao xoxo
Viki D
Around the Butcher Block 
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