YIELDS: 8 Servings | PREP TIME: 1 hr 15 mins | COOK TIME: 15 mins | TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 30 mins |
Spicy Mayo
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp Sriracha
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pinch kosher Salt
1 tbsp white sugar
Crab Cakes
2 ½ lbs cooked and cleaned crab meat
18 saltine crackers
1 egg
¼ cup each diced red & green bell pepper
1 shallot, diced
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch salt, to taste
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
Diced tomato and thinly sliced green onion (optional garnish)
Tools
Mixing bowls
Shallow plate or pie pan (for dredging)
Baking sheet
Foil
Small sauté pan
Large oven-proof skillet
Large resealable plastic bag
Rolling pin
Ice cream or cookie scoop (for consistent portions)
- Begin by making the spicy mayo: (Make ahead of time - the sauce needs to rest for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend together.) Mince the garlic (or run through a garlic press) and set aside.
- Combine the mayonnaise, sriracha, garlic, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Clean the cooked crab, pick out the meat, and place in a large bowl.
- Dice the bell peppers and shallot and set aside.
- Finely chop the jalapeños and cilantro and add to the crab meat.
- Lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, garlic, and Old Bay Seasoning to the egg and mix gently until combined.
- Add the egg mixture into the crab and gently fold with a spatula until well combined.
- Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced peppers, shallots and a pinch of salt. Sauté briefly until the shallots become translucent.
- Allow the bell pepper-shallot mixture to cool, then fold into the crabmeat mixture.
- Place the crackers in the plastic bag and seal it. (Be sure to remove all the air from the bag before sealing.)
- Run the rolling pin over the bag until the crackers are finely crushed.
- Add the crushed crackers to the crab meat and mix gently until combined.
- Dump the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish or pie pan.
- Scoop up one scoop of the crab meat mixture with your ice cream scoop. Place the scoop of crab meat in your hand and flatten gently.
- Gently place the crab cake into the breadcrumbs and cover all sides, pressing lightly to adhere the cracker crumbs. Place the crab cake on the foil-lined sheet.
- Repeat the scooping-flattening-breadcrumbing process until you've used up all of the crab meat mixture.
- Transfer the crab cakes to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the crab cakes.
- Brown the crab cakes on both sides. (Use care when turning the cakes to prevent breaking.)
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, checking periodically.
- Place a dollop of spicy mayo onto the side of each plate and swipe it across using the back of a spoon.
- Plate the crab cakes on the sauce. Garnish with diced tomato and sliced green onion, if you wish.
- Serve as is or with your favorite sides. Enjoy!