Name: Breaded Crab Chop
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 9 oz. fresh crabmeat, picked over for bits of shell or cartilage; ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; Grated zest of 1 lemon; Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 cup fine dried bread crumbs, preferably homemade; Vegetable oil, for frying; Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges (optional), for serving

“A crab chop is a sort of crab croquette, a trompe l’oeil, which was probably designed to be served during the meatless Fridays and Lent in Catholic south Louisiana,” Michael W. Twitty writes in Recipes from the American South. “Traditionally it was served with the claw substituting for the rib bone of the chop, creating the illusion of a breaded piece of meat.”

Read our Q&A with Twitty here.

Ingredients

9 oz. fresh crabmeat, picked over for bits of shell or cartilage
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fine dried bread crumbs, preferably homemade
Vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges (optional), for serving

Preparation

In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, Parmesan, parsley, and lemon zest. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and mix gently. Divide the crab mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into flat chop shapes.

Set up a dredging station in three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with bread crumbs. Dredge each crab chop in the flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally coat with bread crumbs.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 inch oil over medium heat. Line a plate with paper towels and have near the stove.

Once the oil is hot, fry the breaded crab chops, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, 3–4 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spatula to transfer to the paper towels to drain.

Serve hot, garnished with parsley and lemon wedges if desired.