Crab cakes appear on menus everywhere for a good reason: When done right, they’re delicious, addictive, and ultimately satisfying. We love the classic flavors of Old Bay, lemon, and red peppers for the base of the crab cake, but we add a spicy touch with homemade chipotle aioli to jazz up the flavors and transform an old reliable into something special.
Yield: 15 pieces
Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 red peppers, diced small
1 large yellow onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 cups breadcrumbs
several dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 oz. extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons canned chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
Directions
In a large sauté pan on medium-high, add two tablespoons of oil. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 4–5 minutes. Add red peppers and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Next, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add crab, Old Bay, mustard, lemon juice, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Then, add onions and peppers and mix well. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning. Add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs to bind the mixture. Using your fingers, roll crab cakes into 1’’ wide cylinders with flat tops and bottoms. Roll cakes through the remaining breadcrumbs to coat all sides evenly.
Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining oil on medium. Add cakes, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, and sauté until light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side—transfer cakes to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If serving immediately, bake for 10 minutes until hot inside. If not, wrap the baking sheet with Saran Wrap, refrigerate, and then bake for 15–18 minutes.
Add yolks, garlic, mustard, paprika, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until the mixture has emulsified. When all oil has been added, whisk for an additional 15 seconds. Add chipotle and mix well. Refrigerate until serving.
