Spicy Crab Cakes recipe made with fresh Dungeness crab meat, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, lemon juice, Tabasco, Wocestershire sauce, Dijon, paprika, thyme, onion and paprika. Serve with horseradish mayonnaise.
The great culinary thrill of winter in Northern California is that it’s Dungeness crab season.
There is simply nothing better than fresh crab, but you have to make sure the crab is very fresh. During the season we call Whole Foods and ask when the last shipment arrived. If it’s the same day, we’ll be there.
Spicy crab cakes with horseradish mayo
ingredients
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4-5 slices of white bread
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3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
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1 large egg yolk
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2 teaspoons lemon juice
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2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
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1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
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2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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1/2 teaspoon paprika
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1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
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1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1/4 cup chopped onion
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1/4 cup chopped green peppers
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1/4 cup chopped red peppers
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1 pound cooked fresh Dungeness crab meat, plucked and drained
- Horseradish Mayo:
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1 cup mayonnaise
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2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (see Horseradish Preparation for a scratch version)
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
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1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Kosher salt
special equipment
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food processor
method
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To make fresh breadcrumbs:
Cut the bread into large pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse until you have fine breadcrumbs. You will need about 4 cups. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the chopped fresh parsley. Clean the bowl of the food processor.
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Process ingredients for crab cake binder:
Place egg yolks, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds, and black pepper in food processor. Pulse until everything is mixed.
With the engine running, slowly add a thin stream of olive oil through the filler neck until the sauce emulsifies. Transfer from the food processor to a large bowl.
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Prepare Crab Cake Mixture:
In the large bowl with the sauce, stir in the chopped onion, paprika, and remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Gently fold in the shredded crab meat. Don’t overmix! Gently fold in half of the breadcrumbs mixture.
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Form meatballs, roll in the remaining breadcrumbs:
Gently form six crab cakes. Turn lightly in the remaining breadcrumbs.
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Cool:
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour.
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Fry crab cakes:
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the crab cakes in batches, 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden and warmed through. If necessary, add more butter to the pan.
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Prepare the horseradish mayo sauce:
For the horseradish mayonnaise, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and season. Cover and refrigerate.
