Crab Fried Rice

It seems like I need to incorporate more seafood meals in my rotation. The last time I made a seafood dish seemed like so many weeks ago and I used to do a better job incorporating a seafood meal every week. So in an effort to get back on my seafood track, I made this Crab Fried Rice to use up random ingredients I had on hand... and because I was feeling lazy...

When you have lump crab meat to play with in the kitchen, most folks would probably make crab cakes. I thought about it and I even had all the ingredients on hand, but I just wasn't really in the mood to fry up those little seafood patties. Perhaps I got a little lazy and rather than forming patties for crab cakes, I decided to pair the same crab cake mixture with some leftover cold rice. Who knew that combining these two things would result in quite a tasty dish? You could serve it as a main dish and add some shrimp or this makes for a lovely side dish as well. However you decide to play with the recipe is it up to you. Regardless, it's a quick and easy dish and a nice change from the usual fried rice recipes.

A melange of diced bell peppers, celery and red onions are sauteed in a skillet, with capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper. The crab is then folded in, followed by cold rice. From there, it's just a matter of time to warm up the rice for serving. Fried rice doesn't have to be plain and boring. Jazz it up with various flavors and/or ethnic influences... the possibilities are endless!

Crab Fried Rice

recipe adapted from Ina Garten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup small diced red onion (1 small onion)
1/2 cups small diced celery (2 stalks)
1/4 cup small diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
1/4cup small diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
1/4cup small diced green bell pepper (1 small pepper)
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked to remove shells
2-3 cups cooked rice, cold

Place the 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons oil, onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, break the lump crabmeat into small pieces. Once the vegetables are soft, fold the crab into the pan off the heat. Crumble the rice into the pan and saute over medium high heat until warmed through.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.