The Tastiest Catch!
I’ve been making crab cakes 🦀 for many years. It’s a favorite around here. Generally, they’re made for special occasions🎉, unless it’s one of those….”wow, we haven’t had crab cakes for a long time🤫” kinda things. Not to brag, (but, of course I will) I’m generally disappointed in crab cakes at restaurants, mine are almost always better. Part of that is that I bake them instead of frying.
One of the best parts of making these scrumptious little gems at home, is that you can control what goes into them. That’s right, mine are mostly made of pure, sweet lump crab 🦀 meat. I also make a favorite spicy lemon 🍋 aioli to compliment them perfectly. Are you game to try? These Crab Cakes with Spicy Lemon Aioli will knock your socks 🧦 off! Better yet, I serve this dinner with the most wonderful Cole Slaw.
Crab Cakes Bounty 🦀🦀🦀
When we were kids, for a number of years, we would go to Oregon on vacation. One of my favorite memories is crab fishing with my family.
The ocean was super choppy and we were in a fairly small boat 🛥 as I recall. We’d fill the traps with bait, then drop them into the water. Each trap sinking into the icy cold ocean 🌊 marked for pick up by bobbing empty bottles. Seriously, I have no memory of waiting. It seemed that by the time we’d finished setting our traps, we were already circling back to pick them up. How exciting it was, watching as my dad would pull up on the rope, hoping we’d find tons of crabs inside!
Disclaimer: Middle Child Syndrome 🤦🏻♀️🦀🚤⚓️🧜♀️🌊
Well, we really cleaned up. Our traps were filled and there was quite a bit of talk about fishing limits, etc. I was raised by rebels and I do recall pretty clearly that we were well over our limit. As the middle child, my anxiety went into overdrive. I did spend a considerable amount of time worrying that we were all going to be arrested and go to prison. However, I stifled my fears for the promise of an amazing dinner (somethings never change).
Excitedly and with great anticipation of our feast, we grabbed out bounty and headed to the home of friends for a real crab boil and to devour our days worth of crab.
A true crab boil is so much fun! We cooked them in a huge pot over an open fire. Then we tossed them onto a table lined with newspaper and hammered away at their shells. You get some cut up fingers, but the freshly cooked crab dipped in warm, melted butter is like nothing else in the world.
The funniest thing about this picture is it’s from the 70’s. That’s right. If this picture had been captured today, I have no doubt that we would have actually included the crab in the trap!
The Spicy Aioli 🍋🌶
I find that crab cakes are delicious on their own, but they are spectacular with a lemony and spicy sauce to go on the side. This sauce is super easy but incredibly tasty! Here’s how easy it is to make.
Into a medium sized bowl, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, The zest and juice of 2 whole lemons 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Depending on your love of heat, add 1 teaspoon up to a tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce. I think Sriracha or chili sauce work best, but you can use any kind. Mix well and chill.
The Crab Cakes 🦀
Buy the best lump crab meat available near you. It’s easy to find it in the cans at the fish or butcher counter. Once you open the can, drain it and put it into a bowl, then pick through to be sure that it’s free of any shells, even the tiniest of pieces. Set aside.
Finely chop 1/2 cup of bell pepper. I like to use red and yellow peppers. Adding the peppers gives an extra sweetness to the crab cakes. Very finely mince 2 cloves of garlic.
Into a large pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the garlic and the chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt. Saute until they are very soft. Let them cool.
Into a medium sized bowl, add 1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning, 1 lightly beaten egg, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, the cooled sauteed vegetables and zest of 1 lemon and mix well. Now, add the crab meat, then very gently toss to combine. Be careful that you don’t over mix, as you want the crab meat to stay as lumped as possible. Refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes. This will help them come together when forming the cakes.
Shape and Bake 👩🏻🍳
Using a scant 1/3 cup measure, form into even sized cakes. Make sure to pack them solidly as you are forming each one. The toughest part of crab cakes is making them so that they do not fall apart while they are being cooked.
Put the rest of the bread crumbs onto a shallow bowl or plate. Lay each crab cake on the bread crumb mixtures, pressing down to adhere the crumbs, then turn the cake over and do the same on the other side. Lay them onto a baking sheet, sprayed with cooking oil. You should be able to make 7-8 crab cakes.
Next, lightly spray the top of the cakes with olive oil. Bake the crab cakes for 20-25 minutes. The top of the cakes should be golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 3 minutes before serving.
Serve with the aioli on the side. Top with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley or chopped celery leaves and serve with some lemon quarters.
My Favorite Coleslaw Recipe On The Planet!🌎
I also love to serve these crab cakes with coleslaw. Here’s how I make it!
Wash the cabbage and remove the solid white cores. Slice the green cabbage in half. Using a mandolin, on the thinnest setting (1/16) inch) shred 1/2 a large or 1 small green cabbage and 1/4 of a purple cabbage. Make sure to use the safety tool and you can shred all of this in about 1 minute!
Put the cabbage into a large bowl. Next, clean and dice 3 bunches of spring onions. I use all the white parts and honestly, most of the green parts as well. Add to the bowl.
Shred 2 carrots in a food processor and add to the veggies.
For the dressing, into a small bowl, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise. 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well and chill.
About 1/2 hour before serving, toss the chilled dressing with the vegetables.
Crab Cakes with Spicy Lemon Aioli and The Best Ever Cole Slaw
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes
- 1 lb lump crab meat
- 1/4 cup minced celery
- 1/2 cup minced bell peppers (red and yellow)
- 1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cups breadcrumbs, divided - Panko or homemade
- zest of 1 lemon
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or celery leaves and quartered lemons
For the Spicy Lemon Aioli
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- zest and juice of 2 lemons (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
For the Cole Slaw
- 1/2 head green cabbage
- 1/4 head purple cabbage
- 2 medium peeled carrots
- 2 bunches of spring onions
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the Spicy Lemon Aioli
- Into a medium sized bowl, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise, The zest and juice of 1 whole lemon and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. With a large knife, smash 2 cloves of garlic, then finely mince and then render to a past using 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the side of your knife. Add the garlic and depending on your love of heat, add 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste.
For The Crab Cakes
- Open the crab meat can or jar, drain it and put it into a bowl, then pick through to be sure that it's free of any shells, even the tiniest of pieces. Set aside.
- Into a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the chopped chopped celery and bell peppers and saute until they are very soft. Let them cool.
- Into a medium sized bowl, add 1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, the cooled sauteed vegetables and the lemon zest, mix well. Next, add the crab meat, then very gently toss to combine. Be careful that you don't over mix, as you want the crab meat to stay as lumped as possible.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will allow the crab cakes to better form when it's time to make the cakes.
- Preheat oven to 400º Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil. Using a scant 1/3 cup measure, form patties, make sure they are well packed to keep them from breaking after they are baked. Put the remaining bread crumbs onto a bowl or plate and lightly coat the cakes in the bread crumbs, press firmly so that the crumbs adhere, then turn the cake over and do the same on the other side. Set the cakes onto the baking sheet, then lightly top each cake with more olive oil spray. Bake the crab cakes for 20 minutes. The top of the cake should be golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about 3 minutes before serving. Serve with the aioli on the side. Garnish with a bit of chopped fresh parsley or chopped celery leaves.
For the Cole Slaw
- Using a mandolin, on the thinnest setting (1/8) inch) shred 1/2 a green cabbage and 1/4 of a purple cabbage. Put the cabbage into a large bowl. Next, clean and dice 3 bunches of spring onions. I use all the white parts and honestly, most of the green parts as well. Add to the bowl. Shred 3-4 carrots in a food processor and add to the veggies.
For the Cole Slaw Dressing
- Into a small bowl, add 1/2 cup mayonnaise. 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar,1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well and chill.
- About 1/2 hour before serving, toss the chilled dressing with the vegetables.
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
