DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES WITH ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES WITH ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE image

Yield 8 appetizer servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

Crab Cakes:
1/4 cup milk
2 slices white bread
1 pound fresh Dungeness or other local fresh crabmeat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Orange Butter Sauce
Garnishes: shredded fresh spinach, julienned
sweet red pepper, grated orange zest
Orange Butter Sauce:
1/4 cup orange zest (about 3 oranges)
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Steps:

For Crab Cakes: Tear bread into rough pieces. Pour milk over bread in a small bowl. Stir together crabmeat and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Squeeze milk from bread, discarding excess milk. Add bread to crabmeat mixture, and toss gently. Shape mixture into 8 patties; dredge in panko. Press additional panko onto each cake. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add 4 patties, and fry 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and patties. Place crab cakes on a large baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes. Spoon Orange Butter Sauce evenly onto serving plates. Place crab cakes over sauce. Garnish, if desired. Makes 4 main-dish servings or about 8 appetizer servings. For Orange Butter Sauce: Stir together first 4 ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat 25 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk butter into orange juice mixture. Serve immediately. Makes 1 1/2 cups.