New England crab cakes

Serves 8

• 6 cups french bread crumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons chopped shallots
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1½ cups butter, softened
• 2 pounds lump blue crab meat
• 1 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

1. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, shallots, lemon juice, butter, crab meat and parsley.
2. Mix well.
3. Taste and adjust the seasonings, divide into 5-ounce portions and form into patties.
4. Don't press them together too tightly.
5. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with the water.
6. Dip the patties into the egg mixture and then into the remaining bread crumbs.
7. In a skillet, sauté the patties over low heat in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden brown and heated through.

BON APPETIT