Ode to the Crab Cake!

Why does it seem so difficult to get a great crab cake? Am I asking too much that a crab cake be full of lump, sweet, succulent meat and not bread fillers or over spiced to the point the delicate flavor is lost? I must be honest, I have consumed dozens of crab cakes with in my life, yet only a small handful have I been pleased with.
Last night I had a great date night! My mission: to find an amazing crab cake. We started off at a nearby lobster lounge. Yes, I'm a sucker for a great lounge! There is something about sipping martini's as a pianist plays Jazz and Sinatra, and the dim lights and bow ties on the bartenders only add to my secret indulgence. The ambiance was perfect, but I was there for more.
We ordered the infamous crab cakes, and I was ready for the critiquing to begin. One, single, beautifully crisp, lump crab cake over a creamy ribbon of sauce. It looked like perfection, but I had been fooled before. I gently cut the cake to reveal the center. There were no fillers visible to my eyes, and no over sized chunks of sauteed vegetables, but yet more of the same jumbo pieces of crab. So far, the dish was passing with flying colors, but the taste was going to be the deciding factor. I placed the bite in my mouth, and to much of my amazement, I was speechless. This was it! This is what I had been looking for in a crab cake all these years! The meat was simple, yet decadent, and the texture was firm but not tough. The flavor was delicate and sweet and the sauce complimented each aspect of the perfectly browned, crispy cake. I was satisfied, no, I was elated. Not only did I experience an amazing date with my best friend, but my confidence in the usually over-filled, over mixed, over cooked an drenched crab cake was restored. Thank you Steve Fields, my confidence has been restored and my passion has been revisited that there are others out there that appreciate all the true and simple pleasures that one simple crab cake has to offer.








Succulent Crab Cakes with Herbed Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 TBL minced fresh dill
1 TBL minced fresh tarragon
1 TBL minced fresh cilantro
1 TBL minced green onion
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

For vinaigrette:
Whisk oil, lemon juice, dill, tarragon, cilantro, green onion, and mustard in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.


Crab cakes
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 large egg yolks
2 TBL fresh lemon juice
4 tsp minced fresh dill
4 tsp minced fresh tarragon
4 tsp minced fresh cilantro
1 TBL Dijon mustard
1 TBL finely grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1LB Blue crabmeat or Dungeness crabmeat
2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). divided

2 tablespoons (or more) butter
2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil

2 5-ounce containers herb salad mix
Fresh dill sprigs
Fresh tarragon sprigs
Fresh cilantro sprigs


For crab cakes:
Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Whisk first 10 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in crab meat and 1 cup panko, breaking up crab meat slightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Place remaining panko on rimmed baking sheet, spreading slightly. Form crab mixture into sixteen 2-inch-diameter patties, using about 1/4 cup for each. Press both sides of patties into panko. Transfer patties to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes to skillets and cook until golden on both sides, adding more butter and oil as needed, about 5 minutes total.
Place salad mix in very large bowl. Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette; toss. Arrange crab cakes on platter. Garnish with herb sprigs, drizzle with some of remaining vinaigrette, and serve with salad.