Meatless Meals 3: Lenten Meals: Mary Ann’s Crab Imperial – Adapted from a coveted Cossie Snyder’s recipe!
During Lent, it was a given, Cossie Snyder’s in Allentown, Pennsylvania is where you would find Bob, our girls, my mom and myself on a Friday night. Marie Geletkanych, co-owner with her husband, would wait on our table. A lovely woman, knew us by name and we always ended our meal with the most delightful of conversations. And, some Irish coffee! :)!
Enjoying Cossie Snyder’s because of Marie’s hospitality was one thing but, another…. they had good food! Lobster tails, fish, crabcakes, Crab Imperial — were some of our favorites on their menu. Mom always got breaded fish, the girls and I enjoyed their Lobster tails! To this day, I will say — It was the best or could compete with any lobster tail in our area or anywhere we have eaten to date. The reason I say that…. they knew how to make them! They were perfect! Not undercooked and not over cooked — and, always served with drawn butter!
Bob’s favorite, on the other hand, was their Crab Imperial. He loved it so much I would call Marie right before New Year’s Eve and she would make some for us to serve at our annual New Year’s Eve – Make A Favorite Food Wish – Feast at our house.
Cossie Snyder’s has since closed and to find Crab Imperial anywhere is a difficult task to say the least. I’ve searched for recipes and recently found an article and some notes in our local newspaper — The Morning Call. Google it — it was fun to read!
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The Morning Call – March 11, 2009
The Recipe You’ve Been Waiting For — Crab Cake Recipe finally Revealed
By Diane Stoneback
Marie Geletkanych always said she’d take her recipe for crab cakes — a signature dish at the former Cossie Snyder’s Corner in Allentown — with her to the grave. She closely guarded her secret during the 34 years she and her husband Robert owned the seafood and steak restaurant at Seventh and Washington streets. She made the crab cake mixture early in the morning, before anyone else was in the kitchen. Not even Robert, who cooked everything else on the menu, was entrusted with making the crab cakes.
1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat (fresh or pasteurized)
2 stalks of celery grated (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup grated sweet onion
4 slices fresh white Wonder bread, crusts removed and then cut into very small cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 Tbsps. parsley flakes
2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and then grated
5 Tbsps. Hellman’s mayonnaise
1 egg, raw for breaded crab patties,
you’ll also need:
Flour
One beaten egg
Bread crumbs.
Gently sort through the crab to find and remove any shells.
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And, there it was!!!! Right before everyone’s eyes! In Black and White!! Such excitement! People in our area got sooooo excited! Here’s another note I found:
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The Morning Call March 18, 2009
Crab Cake Recipe Prompts Store Rush
By Marion Callahan
Heckenberger’s Seafood in the Allentown Farmers Market sold a week worth’s of fresh lump crab meat in one day, and owner Ray Adams knows the reason behind the rush. Adams said customers lined up for crab meat last Thursday, eager to make Cossie Snyder’s crab cakes, a coveted recipe that was revealed in last Wednesday’s Morning Call. Marie Geletkanych’s crab cakes were a signature dish at the former Cossie Snyder’s Corner in Allentown. She closely guarded her secret recipe during the 34 years she and her husband Robert owned the restaurant at Seventh and Washington streets.
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Sweet story……
But, back to the Crab Imperial!!!
NOW I HAD A Recipe…… for crab cakes! Not, Bob’s Crab Imperial……
So, I improvise! I Create! 🙂
Basically, it’s the same recipe with a few, slight changes.
Mary Ann’s Crab Imperial – adapted from a coveted Cossie Snyder’s recipe
1 can jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for shells
2 stalks celery, grated ( approximately 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup sweet onion, grated
4 slices fresh white bread, crusts removed, cut into very small cubes
or non seasoned bread crumbs / panko
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 Tablespoons parsley flakes, minced
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled and grated
5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl.
Butter individual baking dishes and fill 3/4 full.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until a light, bubbly, golden brown!
Enjoy! Enjoy!
Oh….. End of story….. Bob Loves it! :)!
LifeDesigning1 