If you LOVE crab cakes…this is the perfect one for you. There is not a lot of breading…just enough to hold it together…and LOTS of crab! Be patient with the prep time…dicing all the little veggies takes some time, but you will be tucking into these little morsels before you know it and it will have BEEN WORTH THE EFFORT! There are onions in here, so this one is NOT for the doggies, but you can save a few bits of crab meat for us and we will surely appreciate you for that!
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Crab Cakes
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1/2 cup sweet onion, finely diced
1/4 cup green onions, finely diced (the white and green parts)
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely minced
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (I use Old Bay)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon prepared Champagne Mustard (I sell a really good brand in my online BOUTIQUE but you can use your favorite)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use Dukes)
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (I use Vigo)
8 ounces JUMBO lump crab meat (I use Publix brand in the fresh seafood section) Rinse well and pick through for bits of shell…drain and pat dry on paper towels!!!
8 ounces LUMP crab meat (I use Publix brand in the fresh seafood section) Rinse well and pick through for bits of shell…drain and pat dry on paper towels!!!
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs (for dredging)
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs (for dredging)
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
3 Tablespoons olive oil (for frying)
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the onions, bell peppers, parsley, thyme, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper, mustard, mayonnaise and breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined. Add your crab meat that has been picked through for shells and make sure it has been rinsed and dried VERY WELL on paper towels…completely DRY! If it is too wet…you will have very wet crab cakes!!! Very gently, fold in the crab…try not to break up the larger pieces of crab too much…you want a mixture of some smaller, and some larger chunks of crabs in your crab cakes. Form them into cakes…about 3 inches wide and 1-inch thick, and set on a dry plate.
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In a separate bowl, mix together your plain breadcrumbs and Panko breadcrumbs. Very carefully, dredge each crab cake (both sides) into this mixture and return to your dry plate. When all of the cakes are coated, place in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up. At this point, you can FREEZE these crab cakes to use at another time if needed. Thaw in refrigerator when you are ready to use.
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In a large skillet, over medium-low heat, combine the vegetable oil and olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan…leave plenty of room between each crab cake. Cook slowly on each side…about 4-5 minutes or until they are a nice golden brown color. Remove to a serving plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining crab cakes. Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.
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Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
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1 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers (only use TWO of the peppers)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped (the white and the green parts)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon horseradish sauce
1 teaspoon prepared Champagne mustard
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
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In a mini food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients and process until everything is well blended. You can make this a day ahead if necessary…just keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Bone Appetit!
