CRAB CAKES ON TOAST WITH ALEPPO-LEMON MAYO

Crab Cakes on Toast with Aleppo-Lemon Mayo image

Provided by Amanda Freitag

Time 45m

Yield 12 crab cakes

Number Of Ingredients 20

8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon (see Cook's Note)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
Four 1/4-inch-thick slices white bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (see Cook's Note)
Aleppo-Lemon Mayo:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (see Cook's Note)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon (see Cook's Note)
4 fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crab cakes: Carefully pick through the crabmeat, removing any hard cartilage and small pieces of shell. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the panko, mayonnaise, chives, preserved lemon, lemon zest, egg white, 1/2 teaspoon salt and few grinds of black pepper until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled through, about 15 minutes.
For the toast: Meanwhile, use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter or ring mold to cut out 12 rounds of bread, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet (reserve the 2-inch cutter for shaping the crab cakes). Melt the butter and Aleppo in a small saucepan over medium heat. Brush some of the butter mixture on each piece of bread. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
For the Aleppo-lemon mayo: Stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Aleppo and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside for serving.
Divide the crab cake mixture into 12 portions, then press each portion individually into the 2-inch round biscuit cutter to shape into a cake the same size as the toast (the crab cakes should be about 1/4 inch thick).
Heat the butter and canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab cakes and cook until warmed through and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
For serving: Place a crab cake on top of each toast round. Top with a small dollop of the Aleppo-lemon mayo, a couple of pieces of preserved lemon and a chive.