Serves: 2
  • DIFFICULTY: EASY
  • 10 mins

Ingredients

for the crab cakes:
  • 250g cooked white crab meat
  • 250g brown crab meat
  • 175g butter (plus more for frying)
  • A few baby capers
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • A sprig of parsley, chopped
  • A sprig of thyme, chopped
  • A little lemon zest and a good squeeze of the juice
  • A dash of Tabasco sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
FOR COATING:
  • 2 eggs, beaten with a dash of water
  • 200g fine breadcrumbs
  • A handful of plain seasoned flour
FOR COOKING:
  • 100g butter
  • 50g vegetable oil
  • A frying pan you trust
  • An oven preheated to 180°C (350°F)

Tim's Crab Cakes

What is it about a fried fish cake? Is it the crunchy texture of the outside or the mellow fishy herby softness of the inside? The best for me is the Crab Cake. No potatoes here, just crab meat set with herbs and butter, bread crumbed, chilled, and later fried in butter. Though decadent, they are well worth the extra expense in time and money to make.

 

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Crab Cakes:

    • Melt 175g of butter in a large pan and sweat the shallot, thyme, and garlic for a minute or two. Add the brown crab meat and cook for another minute or two.
    • Turn off the heat and stir in the white crab meat, parsley, Tabasco, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, salt, and pepper.
    • Use an oiled pastry cutter as a mould to form the crab cakes. Place them on a lightly oiled non-stick tray.
    • Chill in the fridge until well set and easy to handle, about 1 hour. For extra firmness, you can freeze them for half an hour.

  2. Coat the Crab Cakes:

    • Dust the chilled crab cakes with seasoned flour, dip them in the egg wash, and then coat them in breadcrumbs.
    • Return the coated crab cakes to the fridge to rest.

  3. Cook the Crab Cakes:

    • Heat butter and vegetable oil in a frying pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.
    • Fry 3 crab cakes at a time, cooking until golden on both sides. Avoid moving them too much and spoon some oil and butter over them and up the sides.
    • Transfer the golden crab cakes to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining cakes, adding more butter and oil if needed.
    • Once all are golden, place them in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. If they start puffing up, take them out and let them rest for a minute or two.

  4. Serve:

    • Serve the crab cakes with peas, new potatoes, and perhaps a tartar sauce.
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