We don’t always make crab cakes, but when we do, we put our house up for a second mortgage to splurge on jumbo-lump crab meat and we take cues from our friends in Maryland who use only a few more necessary ingredients in order to let the lovely, sweet crab steal the show.
To make these crab cakes a smashing success, you’ll need eggs, mayonnaise and dijon mustard, which act as a binder to hold together the crab. Also, be sure to pick up classic Old Bay, fresh parsley and savory worcestershire sauce, which will gently season the mixture. Light and fluffy gluten-free panko absorbs excess moisture and creates the crispest crust. If you’re not gluten-averse, regular panko will work just fine in the same proportion. And when you go to add the crabmeat to your shopping basket, it’s ok to let out an audible gasp at the price. The sticker shock is real.
We think it’s a really nice idea to make lots of little crab cakes instead of a few big ones. That way, you can scatter them about on a large serving tray and snack on them with a nice chilled glass of wine or champagne and feel very, very fancy. Also, this approach makes it a bit less painful to share the crab crakes among friends, since there are more to go around.
You’ll notice we garnish the crab cakes with parsley, chives and lemon wedges. These toppings add a nice burst of freshness and acidity. We also suggest you serve horseradish aioli alongside. This is sauce is optional, but it’s really very creamy, has a nice kick from the horseradish and goes perfectly with the crab cakes.
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. freshly-grated horseradish
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lb. jumbo-lump crab meat, drained if necessary
- 3 tbsp. gluten-free panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Flaky sea salt (for garnish)
- Finely chopped chives (for garnish)
- Finely chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for garnish)
- To make the horseradish Aioli, in medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the crab cakes: In medium bowl, mix together egg, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning and parsley until well combined. Gently fold in crab meat, taking care not to break up crab meat. Gently stir in panko.
- Gently form crab mixture into about 15 mini crab cakes; transfer to baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and set in refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until chilled and set.
- Heat about ¼” vegetable oil in cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Cook crab cakes in batches, taking care not to crowd pan, until dark golden brown and warmed through, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer crab cakes to paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transfer to serving platter.
- Garnish crab cakes with sea salt, chives and parsley, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved horseradish aioli, if desired.
- To make these crab cakes in advance, prepare the recipe through step 4, then cover crab cakes and transfer to refrigerator to chill for up to 1 day. Reheat in 400F oven until warmed through, about 7 minutes. Then, proceed to step 5.