crab cakes

To switch things up at the dinner table around here, I thought I would make crab cakes before summer turns to fall. Costco has a great crab meat option that is both affordable and accessible- perfect for this recipe. I first developed this recipe last summer when Spike and I squared off at the Preakness Stakes and took on crab. He made soft shell crab sandwiches and I took a whack at it with my crab cakes and they were a hit. They are chock full of crab meat with celery, onion, peppers (southern trinity), and for just a bit of heat I toss diced jalapeno into the mix. An egg, seasoned mayo, and breadcrumbs act as the binding ingredients to make these crab cakes come together. Because we're a family of two, I made a full batch and froze the remaining cakes for us to have as an impromptu meal within the next week or two. We had a few last minute guests that joined us for dinner on Sunday and lucky for me, I had crab cakes stored away that could be prepared in no time. Plus, I felt very fancy feeding guests crab cakes on a whim. For me, it's a great summer meal that was easy to prepare yet unexpected enough to be special.Classic Crab Cakes with Chile Garlic Mayonnaise
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Yield: 8 cakes

1 cup mayonnaise
3 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeño chili
1 pound fresh crabmeat, coarsely chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
5 cups fresh breadcrumbs

Mix mayonnaise, chili-garlic sauce, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate chili mayonnaise.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, celery, onion, and jalapeño; sauté 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in crab, egg, 1/2 cup chili mayonnaise, and remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, then 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs. Form crab mixture into eight 1/2-inch-thick cakes, using 1/2 cup for each. Dredge cakes in remaining 3 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Place on baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add crab cakes and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Serve, passing remaining chili mayonnaise separately.