STEVEN'S PERFECT CRAB CAKES
A Tom Douglas® Recipe
If you want the best crust, turn your crab cakes once while they are in the oven, but otherwise don't disturb them.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound Dungeness crabmeat, drained, picked clean of shell, and excess moisture lightly squeezed out if the crabmeat is wet
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of 'Rub with Love' Crab Cake Mix
- 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons thinly sliced chives
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs plus 2 cups more for dredging
- 5 tablespoons butter
- Lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
- To make crab cakes, put the crabmeat, mayonnaise, Crab Cake Mix, lemon zest, dill, chives, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Mix everything together gently with a rubber spatula.
- Add 1/2 cup on panko and mix again.
- Pour the remaining 2 cups of panko into a shallow container.
- Form the crab mixture into 8 patties.
- Pat them gently into shape without pressing them too much.
- Drop the patties into the panko and turn them to coat both sides, patting to shake off the excess.
- If you have time, you can let the crab cakes chill in the refrigerator an hour or more before frying.
- When you are ready to fry the crab cakes, preheat oven to 450F.
- Put 2 large non-stick skillets over medium-high heat and add about 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter to each pan.
- As soon as the butter is melted, add 4 crab cakes to each pan.
- Leave the pans on the burners for a minute or slightly less (the butter should not be starting to brown), then place the pans in the oven.
- Cook the crab cakes until they are heated through and golden brown on both sides, about 12 minutes, carefully turning them with a spatula 1/2 way through the cooking time.
- Remove the pans from the oven and transfer the crab cakes to plates, serving 2 crab cakes to each person.
- Garnish with lemon wedges.