CLASSIC CRAB CAKES WITH DILL PICKLE TARTAR SAUCE

CLASSIC CRAB CAKES WITH DILL PICKLE TARTAR SAUCE image

Yield Makes 4 3" diameter crab cakes to serve 4 people.

Number Of Ingredients 24

2 TBS butter
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
3 TBS chardonnay
2/3 cup of Italian bread cut int 1/2" cubes
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsps lemon zest
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1/8 cup chopped chives
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup dill pickle, finely diced
1TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Steps:

In a medium saute pan melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent. Then add the chardonnay followed by the bread cubes. Stir to incorporate and saute for one more minute. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl whisk mayonnaise, lemon zest, egg, salt, pepper, and spices until smooth. Add this mixture, the crab meat and the chives to the bread mixture. Mix gently without breaking apart the lumps of crab meat. Refrigerate this crab mixture for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. On a work surface combine the panko and the fresh bread crumbs. Place a 3 inch biscuit cutter on top of the bread crumbs. Firmly press the crab mixture into the biscuit cutter until full. Carefully remove the biscuit cutter. Then gently coat the top and sides of the crabmeat with panko mixture. Repeat with the remaining crab mixture. Refrigerate crab cakes for 20 minutes until set. In a large pot or deep fryer heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees. There should be enough oil to submerse the crab cakes. Carefully lower the crab cakes into the oil and fry until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve crab cakes immediately with Dill Pickle Tartar Sauce. To make the Dill Pickle Tartar Sauce, combine mayonnaise, dill pickles, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika until smooth.