A step up from your average potato cakes recipe, these are a great way of making a little crab go a long way. If you can get a hold of the brown meat from the crab, the flavour will go even further. I love them served with a generously herby mayonnaise.
(makes 10-12 cakes)
Ingredients:
– 500g (1lb 2oz) cooked crabmeat, brown and white if possible, free from any shell
– 500g (1lb 2 oz) cold mashed potato (leftover mash works well)
– 1 garlic clove, crushed finely
– grated zest of 1 small lemon, plus lemon wedges, to serve
– 1 large egg
– 70g spring onions, finely chopped
– 1 tsp chopped thyme
– 1 tbsp chopped parsley
– a good knob of butter
– 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
– Sea salt and freshly ground
– Black pepper
Lemon and caper mayonnaise
– 2 tbsp chopped capers
– 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to serve
– 1 tsp Dijon mustard
– Generous pinch of salt
– 2 egg yolks
– 50ml extra-virgin olive oil
– 150ml sunflower oil
To serve
– Green salad
Method:
1. First make the mayonnaise. Put all the ingredients, except the oils, in a glass bowl (a stainless-steel bowl can give the mayonnaise a grey colour.)
2. Mix the oils in a jug. Continuously whisk the mixture in the bowl while adding the oil slowly in a thin, steady stream until it is completely combined to a smooth, creamy texture.
3. Taste for seasoning and add an extra splash of lemon juice if necessary. (For speed, you can use an electric hand whisk.) Cover and chill while you make the burgers.
4. Mix all the ingredients, except the butter and olive oil, together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning if needed.
5. Shape the mixture into 10 or 12 even-sized patties.
6. Melt the butter in a frying pan with the olive oil. Fry the crab cakes on one side until golden, then turn and fry the other side.
7. If you use an ovenproof pan, you can finish these off in the oven at 200°C (400oF), Gas mark 6, for 5–8 minutes.
8. Serve with lemon and chive mayonnaise, a green salad and lemon wedges.
Recipe from My Mother is available to purchase from harpercollins.co.uk.