- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 35 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Inactive: 1 hr
- Cook: 20 min
- Yield: 8 crab cakes
Ingredients
For the Crab Cakes:
6 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for frying
1 tablespoon olive oil, for frying
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Prepare the crab cakes: Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs; spread out the crumbs on a sheet pan. In a large bowl, mix the crab, mayonnaise, egg yolk, celery and pickles. Form into 8 oval-shaped cakes. Dredge each crab cake in the breadcrumbs, coating them all over; place on a plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in the flour, curry powder and paprika; cook until the flour and spices lose their raw smell, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard and mustard seeds; simmer to develop the flavors, about 5 more minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter; add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Fry the crab cakes: Melt the 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the crab cakes; cook until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook until evenly browned on all sides. Serve with the mustard sauce.
Cook’s Note
These crabcakes are very loose, but if handled gently and done in a nonstick skillet, they will hold together. This is not a "typical" crabcake, rather it is all about showcasing the crab.
