DUET OF CHESAPEAKE CRAB

DUET OF CHESAPEAKE CRAB image

Number Of Ingredients 24

Crab cakes:
2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat
1/2 small onion, finely minced
1/2 small red bell pepper, minced
1 teaspoon butter, plus more for sauteing
1 extra-large egg
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon chopped parsley leaves
Pinch cayenne
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 drops hot sauce, or to taste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups fine bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper
Mustard creme fraiche:
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 drops hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

Steps:

To make the crab cakes: Pick through the lump crab for shells (VERY GENTLY). In a saucepan over moderate heat, sweat the onion and pepper in the butter. Remove from heat and cool. In a stainless bowl mix the egg, mayonnaise, mustards, parsley, cayenne, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Add in onions and peppers and fold in the crabmeat. Form into cakes about 3 inches across by 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Pack firmly, but do not crush the lumps, the cake should just hold together. Dredge on top and bottom in bread crumbs and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. In a saute pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and when hot, saute the crab cakes on 1 side. Do not crowd the pan. Do it in batches if serving several. Add a nut of whole butter to the pan and cook the cakes until brown on the other side. Place in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes to heat through. To make the creme fraiche: Mix all ingredients together and serve at room temperature. This will keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Recipe Summary Difficulty: Medium Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 8 cakes, 1 cup sauce