BALTIMORE CRAB CAKES WITH REMOULADE SAUCE

BALTIMORE CRAB CAKES WITH REMOULADE SAUCE image

Yield 8 Crab Cakes

Number Of Ingredients 24

Food & Wine
This is the best crab cake recipe you will ever find. If you don't overmix, and don't pack your mounds too tightly, you will experience pure, unadulterated crab cake heaven, if you follow the steps to the letter and. For years I searched for a great crab cake recipe. I wanted one that didn't have a lot of filler. Putting a lot of junk in a crab cake is one of the biggest transgressions in American cookery. About 20 years ago, my best friend shared her mother's secret "country club" recipe for crab cakes. This is it, verbatim. I make these in double batches and put the leftovers in the fridge. If you haven't eaten a cold crab cake on toast with sliced tomato and Russian dressing, then you are really missing out.
I also make these as a master batch: Instead of just eight, I make 24 to 26 mini donut-hole-size crab cakes for parties.
-Andrew Zimmern
REMOULADE SAUCE
3 teaspoons capers, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
2 cornichon, minced
1 anchovies (1-2 for 6 servings), minced
1 shallot, minced
S & P
8 ounces good-quality mayonnaise
3 teaspoons lemon juice
CRAB CAKES
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
20 saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup canola oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Steps:

1. Combine sauce ingredients. 2. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce until smooth. 3. In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crabmeat with the cracker crumbs. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 4. Scoop the crab mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds; lightly pack into 8 patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the crab cakes and cook over moderately high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the crab cakes to plates and serve with lemon wedges. MAKE AHEAD The crab cakes can be prepared through forming in cakes and refrigerated overnight.