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Mendo Crab Cakes





Yields
Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-dish servings



Total Time
1 hr

Notes: The point of a crab cake is pure crab flavor, not filler, according to Nicholas Petti, chef-owner of Mendo Bistro in Fort Bragg. He won the Mendocino Crab & Wine Days Crabcake Cookoff in both 2002 and 2003 with these simple cakes. The winning wine with crab at the first competition, a Handley Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, is perfect with them. As a shortcut for the tarragon aioli--or if you're concerned about possible bacteria in raw eggs--substitute 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise mixed with 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and hot sauce and salt to taste. Start the cabbage salad first, then make the aioli and crab cakes.

su – Mendo Crab Cakes




Photo: Peden & Munk; Styling: Amy Wilson
 1 pound shelled cooked crab (about 2 3/4 cups)
 1 3/4 cups panko (Japanese dried bread crumbs) or other dried bread crumbs, divided
 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (including green tops)
  Tarragon aioli (see notes)
  About 1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
  Champagne cabbage salad
Step 1
1

Sort through crab; remove and discard any bits of shell. In a bowl, combine crab, 3/4 cup panko, and green onions. Gently mix in 3/4 cup tarragon aioli just until mixture holds together.

Step 2
2

Press mixture firmly into eight equal patties about 3 inches wide; set slightly apart on waxed paper or foil. Pour remaining panko into a shallow bowl.

Step 3
3

Preheat oven to 200°. Pour 1/3 cup oil into a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, set each crab cake in panko. Using a slotted spatula, turn, pressing gently to coat.

Step 4
4

Fry cakes in small batches, using more oil as needed, until golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes; turn gently and cook until browned on the other side and hot in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer cakes as cooked to a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and keep warm in oven. Discard any remaining panko.

Step 5
5

Divide cabbage salad among plates. Set crab cakes next to salad, top each with a dollop of tarragon aioli, and serve immediately, with remaining aioli in a bowl.

Step 6
6

Nutritional analysis per crab cake.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1,121Calories from Fat 31
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 103g159%

Saturated Fat 11g56%
Cholesterol 230mg77%
Sodium 1,515mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 18g6%

Dietary Fiber 2.4g10%
Protein 42g84%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.