Be careful not to stir the crab too much into the other ingredients. Best to fold the mixture gently with a spatula to combine everything. You want the big chunks of tasty crab to stay together as big chunks of tasty crab. Freshly cooked blue crab is the best choice for this recipe; however a good quality canned crab is an acceptable substitute.
Cheesecake Factory Mini Crabcakes
By Todd Wilbur
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves 2 – 4.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons minced onion (green part only)
- 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
- 1/2 beaten egg
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow prepared mustard
- 1/2 pound lump crab meat
- 3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs (such as Progresso)
- 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- vegetable oil
Remoulade Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons capers
- 2 teaspoons chopped dill pickle slices (hamburger pickles)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Steps:
1. Measure al the ingredients for the crab cakes–except the breadcrumbs, crab, panko and vegetable oil–into a large bowl. Use a whisk to blend ingredients together. Carefully fold the crab and breadcrumbs into the whisked ingredients. Be sure not to over stir the mixture or those tasty lumps of crab will fall apart. The best crab cakes have nice big chunks of crab in ’em.
2. Rub a light coating of oil in six cups of a nonstick standard size muffin tin, then use your hands or a spoon to fill the cups with equal amounts of the crab mixture. Press down a bit on each crab cake so that the top is flat. Don’t press too hard or the crab cakes may be hard to get out. Cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for a hour or so. This step will help the cakes stay together when they’re browned in the oil.
3. Make the remoulade sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill the sauce until you’re ready to serve up the crab cakes.
4. After the crab cakes have chilled through, heat up about 1/4-inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium/low heat. Fill a shallow bowl with the panko breadcrumbs.
5. Carefully turn the crab cakes out onto a plate. Gently roll each crab cake around in the panko breadcrumbs. Each crab cake should be wearing a light coating of panko.
6. Test the oil by dropping a pinch of panko into the pan. It should sizzle. Saute the crab cakes in the hot oil for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the cakes are golden brown.
7. Drain crab cakes on paper towels or a rack very briefly, then serve them up hot with the remoulade sauce alongside in a little dish.
Source: “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2” by Todd Wilbur
