HERBED JERSEY ROYAL CRAB CAKES

Herbed Jersey Royal crab cakes image

Make these perky crab cakes as a summer lunch or dinner for friends. Jersey Royal potatoes and crab are natural bedfellows - try using dill in the mix too

Provided by Rosie Birkett

Categories Dinner, Fish Course, Lunch, Main course, Supper

Time 38m

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

400g Jersey Royal potatoes , scrubbed not peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of fennel seeds
¼ bulb of fennel , finely chopped
1 red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove , crushed
4 spring onions , sliced
handful of samphire (optional)
200g cooked crabmeat , a mix of white and brown
finely chopped soft herbs (a mixture of dill, parsley and tarragon works well), plus extra to serve
1 tbsp capers
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 lemon , 1/2 zested and juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges for serving
1 tbsp mayonnaise , plus extra to serve
flour , for dusting
watercress , to serve

Steps:

Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with water, add 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 12-15 mins or until tender enough to smash. Leave to cool.
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan and add the fennel seeds, fennel, chilli and garlic followed by the spring onions. Gently cook for 3-5 mins until fragrant but not coloured. During the last minute, add the samphire.
In a bowl, mash the potatoes until well broken down, then combine with the crabmeat, herbs, spring onion mix, cayenne, lemon zest and mayo. Season and mix until well combined, then chill for 30 mins.
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Oil your hands and shape the mixture into eight palm-sized patties and dip in plenty of flour. Be careful, as they are quite fragile and sticky - a good way to do this is on a tray lined with baking parchment. If you have time, put in the fridge to set for 30 mins before cooking. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry for 2-3 mins on each side until crisp and golden. Transfer to an oiled baking tray and finish in the oven for 5 mins. Serve with mayo, some watercress tossed with the remaining herbs, and the lemon juice with the lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 264 calories, Fat 14 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 20 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 13 grams protein, Sodium 0.7 milligram of sodium