Blue Corn Crab Cakes with Black Olive-Red Pepper Relish and Basil Vinaigrette
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 8 crab cakes
- Total: 1 hr 6 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 6 min
Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, diced
1/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 pounds lump crabmeat, picked over
2 to 4 tablespoons instant flour (recommended: Wondra)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups blue cornmeal
Black Olive-Roasted Red Pepper Relish, recipe follows
Basil Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Black Olive-Roasted Red Pepper Relish:
2 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons basil chiffonade
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Basil Vinaigrette:
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Water
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saute pan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapenos and cook until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the horseradish, mustard, creme fraiche until combined. Stir in the onion mixture. Add the crabmeat and 2 tablespoons of the flour and gently fold to combine; season with salt and pepper. If the mixture appears too loose, add more flour, tablespoons at a time. Refrigerate, covered for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
- Divide the chilled crab mixture into 8 patties about 1/2-inch thick. Dredge each cake in the corn chips or cornmeal and tap off excess.
- Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over high heat and fry the cakes for about 3 minutes on each side, or until crusty and lightly browned. Place 2 crab cakes on a dinner plate and top each cake with a tablespoon of the relish and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Black Olive-Roasted Red Pepper Relish:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Basil Vinaigrette:
- Combine the basil, mayonnaise, vinegar and a little water in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the honey, olive oil and salt, to taste, and blend a few more seconds.