Crab Cakes with Lime Mayonnaise

Name: Crab Cakes with Lime Mayonnaise
Yield: makes 6 crabs cakes
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 3 scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons Creole mustard (see page 93); 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon salt; Dash cayenne pepper; 2 or 3 grindings fresh black pepper; 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked free of shells; 1 cup soft fresh bread crumbs (see note); 1/4 cup cornmeal; 1/2 cup peanut oil; 1 recipe Lime Mayonnaise (recipe follows), for serving; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 large shallot, minced; Zest of 1 lime; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves; (makes a generous cup)

December 9, 2011

Gina: Pat is a meat-and-potatoes man, but me, I’ve gotta have my crab cakes. Every year, we go to a fancy restaurant in Memphis for our wedding anniversary, and I order crab cakes off the menu every time. I love them so much that Pat has started making them at home. Do you think he’s being cheap or treating me special? The secret to these crab cakes is using plenty of crab and not too much filling. The sunny Lime Mayonnaise packs a piquant punch.

Cooks' Note

Soft, fresh bread crumbs help crab cakes bind together better than dry bread crumbs, and they yield a lighter, more tender final result. A firm, white sandwich bread like Pepperidge Farm, trimmed of crusts and ground in a food processor, is a great choice (you can also use a baguette).

Recipe notes

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