Today for lunch was Crab Cakes and Jacques Pepin’s Napa Cabbage Salad. We’ve started getting crab meat in our weekly food delivery box and have perfected this crab cake recipe. They are very traditional. I honestly think the crab cakes are better if they can rest overnight in the fridge, but sometimes life just doesn’t work like that. Alternatively have them for dinner, then have a slightly better version for lunch the next day. I am a huge fan of repeating meals!
This Napa Cabbage Salad is divine. You can go online for the recipe. It’s soy sauce, red vinegar, dijon salt and pepper. The cabbage needs 15 minutes to wilt in the dressing – so make it first then put your prepared cakes on the stove. I normally cut the recipe in half for 2-4 people.
Crab Cakes
Makes 6 crab cakes
Ingredients
1 lb cooked crab meat – needs to be good quality and picked over for shells
3/4 cup panko
1 celery stalk very finely diced
1 cup mayo
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Old Bay
salt and white pepper
Olive oil and canola spray for cooking
Instructions
Mix everything but the panko and crabmeat in a bowl, add pinch of salt and pepper. Gently fold in crab meat and panko. When combined gently shape into 6 rounded cakes and place on a plate or baking sheet that can fit in the fridge. Refrigerate for at least one hour – I prefer to refrigerate overnight. If you have refrigerated for a good amount of time, gently flatten the cakes before they go in the pan. I prefer a flatter crispier cake ; )
Heat a cast iron pan to medium high heat. Drizzle pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, then a quick spray with canola oil. When the pan is hot, place the crab cakes in pan and gently turn when crispy, approximately 4 minutes and cook for another 4 minutes.
Serve with tartar sauce, a lemony dill mayo and or hot sauce.
