The Seafood Burger Swap You'll Want To Make All Summer Long

Hamburgers may be a warm weather staple for outdoor cooking, but they're essentially a year-round thing. You know what type of food really speaks to me of summertime? Seafood, since it reminds me of trips to the beach. (And makes me a bit sad, now that I'm an economic refugee in the landlocked Midwest, but that's beside the point.) For a truly summery burger, I suggest taking a page out of SpongeBob's playbook and putting a Krabby Patty (okay, a crab cake) between your buns.

Frozen crab cakes are available in supermarkets even here in Wisconsin, but it's pretty easy to make them yourself. You won't need fresh crab meat, since frozen or canned will do nicely. It's also okay to make crab cakes on the cheap with imitation crab (aka surimi), which is made from fish such as Alaskan pollock.

Bulk the crab up with breadcrumbs or crushed crackers, then bind everything together with mayonnaise. (This crucial crab cake ingredient makes for the very best flavor, although some recipes also call for eggs.) You'll probably want to season the mixture with ingredients like lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or mustard. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the pride of Maryland, the surprisingly versatile spice blend known as Old Bay. Once this is done, shape the crab into patties then pan-fry them in a little oil or butter. The last step is to encase the crab cakes between two buns and go to town with the toppings.

Purists may insist crab dishes shouldn't be loaded up with too many toppings, but we've all got our own opinions when it comes to food. Me, I'm more of a maximalist, so I say bring on all the condiments. A remoulade sauce is classic for crab cakes, but tartar sauce also goes well with just about any kind of fried seafood. If you want something a bit more upscale, you could opt for aioli (isn't that just fancy mayonnaise?), or ditch the creamy toppings altogether and go with pico de gallo or chimichurri. Lettuce and tomato are right at home atop a crab cake, though raw onion might be a bit overwhelming for the delicate crab flavor.

Minimalists may clutch their oyster pearls at the thought, but I'm going to suggest topping your crab cake with cheese. The great Guy Fieri himself might back me up on this. A few years ago, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" visited a New Jersey restaurant called The Grilled Cheese & Crab Cake Company. There, Fieri enjoyed the spécialité de la maison, which is — surprise — a grilled cheese sandwich with a crab cake in the middle. The menu item has been re-dubbed "Guy Fieri's Favorite" and sports a slice or two of Monterey Jack cheese. In my opinion, however, crab cakes go better with cheddar since the sharpness contrasts nicely with the sweet, briny crab.