New Orleans Crab-cakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 stalks celery heart, finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 2 bunches of scallion, green part only, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• Freshly ground black and white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
• 1/2 cup smoked salmon
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Hot sauce (recommended: Crystal's)
• 1 pound jumbo lump crab
• 3 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 5 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 tablespoons butter, for frying
• Serving suggestion: Remoulade

Directions

In a big heavy bottomed frying pan saute celery, peppers, onions, scallions in butter and oil. Add oregano, basil and thyme, salt and white pepper. Lastly add parsley and garlic and cook until soft. Leave to cool.

Finely chop smoked salmon, then flatten it, using the blade of a kitchen knife. Add the salmon to the whipped cream in a large mixing bowl. Add dill and season with salt and white pepper. Add 1/2 of the lemon juice and blend gently with spoon. Add 1 tablespoon of the sauteed vegetables and herbs to the mousse. Fold egg whites into mousse.

Check the crabmeat for pieces of shell and put in a large clean bowl.

Season with a handful of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, hot sauce and remaining lemon juice.

Fold in mousse, taking care not to over mix it. Fold in the rest of the vegetables and herbs and a handful of bread crumbs. Blend it together very carefully with your hands taking care not to break up any of the crabmeat and overwork the mousse.

Gently work into little cakes and bread them with more bread crumbs. Set aside.

Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan. Fry the crab cakes until golden brown on each side. Only turn them once after the bottom side is browned.

Blonde Remoulade:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon red bell pepper, finely chopped

3 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons Creole mustard

1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon capers, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons parsley leaves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended Crystal's)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Chop all vegetable ingredients. Place in bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly then refrigerate.

*Cook's Note: It's best if you can make it the day before. Using a food processor will make your sauce watery.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings