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Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce
These crab cakes
are simply flavored
allowing the taste of
fresh crabmeat to shine. Choose from two different remoulade
sauces. See hints below for make ahead suggestions
Crab
Cakes with Remoulade Sauce
Makes 12
small cakes or 6 large
 1
1/2
pounds lump crab
meat -- picked free of shell
1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
4 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Pinch fresh-ground black pepper
Flour for coating
2 eggs, beaten
Cooking oil -- for frying
In
a medium bowl, combine the crab, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the
mayonnaise, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture
into
12-16 3/4-inch-thick cakes, about 1/4 cup each.
Place flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs into three flat
plates. Dust the cakes with the flour and pat off the excess.
Dip each cake into the eggs,
allowing the excess to flow back into the plate. Dip into the
remaining bread crumbs, making sure to coat
completely
In a large nonstick frying pan, heat about 1/2 inch of oil over
moderate heat. When the oil is hot, add some of the crab cakes and fry
until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the cakes and fry
them until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes longer.
Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the crab cakes are
fried.
Serve with
either Rémoulade Sauce
Remoulade
Sauce I
Yields
about 2 cups
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons Creole or whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and
process for 30 seconds.
Will keep for several days in an airtight container in the
refrigerator.
Remoulade Sauce II
Yields
about 1 cup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced gherkins, not sweet
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon drained finely chopped capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped chives, shallots or sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Freshly ground pepperMix
all ingredients until well blended. Chill before
serving
Helpful
Hints
Add mayonnaise a little at a time
until crab mixture just holds together but is not too moist. Make sure
cooking
oil is hot. To test: splash a few drops of water in
the oil.
Stand
back! The water
should immediately bead and bounce on the surface and then
evaporate
Make Ahead Tips
You can make these crab cakes one day ahead. Shape
the mixture into
cakes. Do not coat and
do not cook. Store in a
tightly covered container between wax paper sheets.
Crab cakes are best when served immediately after cooking.
However, up to one hour ahead you can cook the cakes, drain
on paper towels
and let cool completely.
Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Just
before serving, put the fried cakes on a baking sheet and reheat in a
400º
oven for 5 minutes.
A
couple of hours
ahead--coat crab cakes with flour and bread crumbs.
Store loosely
covered in the refrigerator. Fry while cakes are cold, adding
1 minute or
so to cooking time
Freeze
coated crab cakes, individually wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, for
about 1
month
The rémoulade
will keep for
several days, covered and refrigerated
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