·Marge Perry & David Bonom
Baby Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade
These may be served as passed hors d’oeuvres or served as a first course (perhaps with a handful of very lightly dressed greens)—either way, they are sure to be a hit.
Yield:
22-24 crab cakes
Ingredients
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shell pieces
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 large egg
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, plus additional for dredging
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
Remoulade:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh shallot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon drained capers, chopped
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco sau
Directions
- Place the crab in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, egg, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour mayonnaise mixture over crab; gently toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and gently mix again. Refrigerate mixture 30 minutes.
- Place additional breadcrumbs in a bowl. Working one at a time, drop a slightly rounded tablespoon of crab mixture into the breadcrumbs. Roll crab around to coat then form into a cake slightly large than a quarter, about 3/4-inch thick. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining crab and breadcrumbs. Chill crab cakes 30 minutes.
- For the sauce, combine the mayonnaise, shallot, chives, capers, zest, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides add 1/2 of the crab cakes and cook, turning once, until golden and hot, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with oil and cook remaining crab cakes. Top each with a little remoulade and serve.