Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This recipe seems complicated, but it’s truly not hard to do, there are just a few steps. The good news is all the work (and mess) can be done well ahead of time. I know lump crabmeat is expensive, but don’t be tempted to use anything else. It’s still cheaper than going out to eat and your date wouldn’t be impressed by mushy crab cakes. If you are lucky enough to have a seafood store near you that carries fresh lump crab, by all means, get it fresh. Otherwise, the canned lump crab is a fine substitute.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 2
Ingredients
Roasted red pepper sauce
Vinaigrette
Crab cakes
Salad
Preparation
Step 1
To make the sauce: Up to 1 day before mealtime, roast the red peppers by placing each whole pepper directly on the gas stove burner (if you have an electric stove do this under the broiler) and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are almost completely black. Place them in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for 10 minutes. (The steam will make the skin peel right off.) Scrape the blackened skin off the peppers and discard, cut the peppers in half, and remove and discard the stems and seeds.
Step 2
Dice half of one of the peppers into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Place the remaining peppers in a blender. Peel the garlic, roughly chop, and add to the blender with the mayonnaise. Purée for 30 seconds, or until smooth, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
To make the vinaigrette: Place 2 tablespoons of the sauce in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and the oil and stir vigorously with a whisk or fork. Season with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 4
To make the crab cakes: Cut the jalapeño in half and remove and discard the stem and seeds. Finely chop the jalapeño and place in a large bowl. Add the chives, lime juice, diced red peppers, and 1/3 cup of the red pepper sauce to the bowl and stir well. Add the breadcrumbs and crabmeat and stir until just combined, being careful not to break up the crabmeat too much. Form the crabmeat mixture into 4 patties and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 5
Place the remaining red pepper sauce in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 6
Fifteen minutes before mealtime, heat the canola oil in a large sauté pan. Add the crab cakes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Step 7
Meanwhile, assemble the salad. Place the salad greens in a bowl, stir the vinaigrette well, and pour over the greens. Toss until well coated.
Step 8
Arrange half of the greens on one side of each plate. Place 1 or 2 crab cakes next to the salad, spoon some of the sauce on top, and serve immediately.
