Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4-6

  • Crab Cakes:
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (made from 3 or 4 slices of white bread with the crusts removed)
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 large egg white
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves, for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ROASTED GARLIC AIOLI WITH CELERY ROOT Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed
  • 1 head of garlic, roasted
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup shredded celery root, shredded using the grater attachment of a food processor
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

THE ULTIMATE CRAB CAKES

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

9.29.09-crab_cakes

Make the crab cakes first so they have time to firm up in the fridge before you cook them.  Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion gets kind of caramelised and delicious.  Dump that into a bowl and fold in the crabmeat, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, egg white lime juice, and cilantro, mixing just until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes.  Put them on a plate, cover, and stick them in the refrigerator to chill.
To serve, heat a 3-count of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes each side until nice and crisp. Serve on torn butchers paper with fresh lemon wedges and roasted garlic aioli.


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by roasting the garlic.  Take the whole head of garlic and cut the top off so the cloves are slightly exposed.  Take a piece of aluminum foil and fold it over to form a double layer – this will be used as the pouch.  Put the head of garlic in the middle of the foil and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Fold the corners of the foil up to form a pouch and seal all around the edges.  Place in the middle of the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes until a knife pierces the garlic flesh without resistance.  Remove from oven and squeeze out the flesh into a food processor.

Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery seed, and lemon juice.  Pulse until well combined and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Pour into a mixing bowl and fold in the shredded celery root.  Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Edited: October 2nd, 2009