Crab Cakes

This is the way I enjoy crabmeat. For me, unless you are talking about Alaskan King Crab, the joy of eating crab is flattened by the tedious and laborious work required for the little amount of meat you get.  Crab is one of the most delicate of seafood tastes and is rich in minerals such as calcium, copper, zinc, phosphorus and iron, while having lower levels of fat and carbohydrates.

Makes 16 cakes
recipe adapted from Chatelaine
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2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley or tarragon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
440g container lump crab meat, drained and chopped or 4 120g cans chunk crabmeat drained
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of mayonnaise with egg, parsley, Dijon and Tabasco. Gently stir in crab just until combined. Scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon crab mixture, roll in panko, and form into 1-inch thick cake. Repeat with rest of mixture. Place cakes on baking sheet 1/2 inch apart.  Lightly spray or brush tops with oil.

Bake in center of preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn cakes over and continue baking until light golden, about 5 more minutes. Let stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a large platter. Whisk remaining mayonnaise, lemon juice and smoked paprika to make the aioli. Serve with lemon wedges alongside crab cakes.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: YUM! These have to be the best tasting crab cakes!  What I like most about this recipe is that the cakes are baked and not pan fried.  When purchasing crabs, they should have a fresh, salt water aroma; avoid those that smell sour or extremely fishy. Thawed, cooked crab should also be odor-free, and thawed only on the day of sale.

By the Glass Wine Tasting Note: There’s nothing like the delicate sweet and salty contrast of fresh crab. This balance is mimicked in the best German and New World interpretations of Riesling by these wines’ synergy of orchard fruit flavours and citrus-like acidity. Germany continues to deliver the classics but a refreshing alternative are the balanced efforts of producers on the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island in the Marlborough and nearby Nelson wine regions. The sweet fruit character of Riesling is an ideal counterpoint to the saltiness of fresh crab while the delicacy of the grape won’t overwhelm the subtle flavours. For those looking for a little more weight and power in their Riesling, go across the pond to Oz where producers make lime scented, full-bodied and dry versions in the Clare Valley. For these crab cakes, you might want to go a touch lighter and enjoy an Eden Valley Riesling from a producer such as Grosset.