Chef Chris Montero – BACCO Restaurant
Makes 12 cakes
This dish can be served as an appetizer or main course.
Ingredients
½ pound crab clawmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons minced red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced green bell peppers
½ tablespoon Creole mustard
½ tablespoon hot sauce
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup (about) fine dried bread crumbs
For breading and frying
1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 ¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs seasoned with ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon paprika
½ cup clarified butter (recipe below)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Always buy fresh eggs from a reliable source. Do not use eggs past their expiration date. Small children, the elderly, or those who have health problems are advised not to eat anything made with raw eggs.
Directions
The Crab Cakes
Combine the crabmeat with the red and green bell peppers, the Creole mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire, salt, mayonnaise and the egg. Gently mix well.
Add enough bread crumbs to bind the mixture. Form into 12 cakes and arrange on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover lightly and chill for at least 1 hour.
Breading the Crab Cakes
Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Put the egg wash in another shallow bowl. Put the breadcrumbs in yet another shallow bowl.
Heat the clarified butter with the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Dredge the patties first in the seasoned flour and then dip them in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the patties in the seasoned breadcrumbs last, coating them evenly.
Fry the patties, three to four at a time, in the hot oil until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
Drizzle the patties with the aioli sauce and serve warm.
Turbodog Creole Mustard Aioli (Makes about 2 cups)
Ingredients
¼ cup Abita Turbodog
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon Creole mustard
2 egg yolks
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Heat the beer in a small saucepan over medium heat and reduce by half. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
Combine the reduced beer, the vinegar, mustard and egg yolks in a food processor and process for about 15 seconds. With the motor running, slowly add the vegetable oil. The sauce will thicken. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and add the shallots, capers, parsley and salt. Whisk to mix.
If not using immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best used within 24 hours because of the raw egg yolks.
How to make Clarified Butter
Melt 2 sticks butter in a small saucepan over low heat. The milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pan and a golden liquid will rise to the surface. Skim off the clear butter to use for frying and discard the white milk solids.
