SAFFRON SHRIMP CRAB CAKES

Saffron Shrimp Crab Cakes image

Yield Makes 24 small cakes

Number Of Ingredients 21

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Ingredients

1 cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for brushing
1/2 cup diced (1/8-inch) onion
1/4 cup diced (1/8-inch) carrot
1/4 cup diced (1/8-inch) celery
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/8 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
parchment paper

Steps:

Pulse all sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and chill, covered, until ready to use.
Sprinkle saffron into water in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderately high heat until liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl, then cool completely.
Heat oil (1 tablespoon) in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, carrot, and celery, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly brush parchment with oil.
Whisk together 1 egg, cream, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Pat shrimp dry and transfer half of shrimp to clean food processor, then add saffron reduction, shallot, garlic, chipotle, and 1/2 cup panko. Purée until smooth, then, with motor running, add egg mixture in a slow stream, blending until just incorporated.
Chop remaining shrimp very coarsely (about 1/3-inch pieces) and stir together with remaining 1/2 cup panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and carrot mixture. Lightly beat remaining egg and stir into shrimp and vegetable mixture along with shrimp purée, then fold in crabmeat until just combined.
Loosely fill a 1/4-cup measure with crab mixture and drop onto a lined baking sheet. Make about 23 more cakes in same manner, dropping onto baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Flatten tops gently to form 2 1/2-inch-wide cakes (about 1 inch high) and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are lightly browned, about 15 minutes total. Serve shrimp crab cakes with sauce on the side.