CRAB SEASON: How to make Maryland's favorite crab cakes

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Crab season is upon us once again! Get your deep fryer ready for some Chesapeake blue crab.

The Chesapeake blue crab is not just iconic in Maryland, but throughout the nation as 50 percent of the U.S. blue crab population comes from the Chesapeake Bay.

Improving water quality of the Chesapeake Bay has led to an abundant crab population this season.

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay's fisheries index an "A" for health based on an increase in underwater oxygen levels and vegetation.

Courtesy of Harbour House (Annapolis), try this recipe to make your very own crab cakes, and click here for instructions on how to free the crab meat from the shell.

RECIPE: Maryland Crab Cakes (makes 6 crab cakes)

Ingredients:

- 1 pound Maryland regular crabmeat
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions: