Jimmy's Crab Cakes

As I mention all the time Sunday brunch is the meal of the week that I look forward to. 

The other day I was given come crab meat from Joan at Fish Stop in Glen Eden to make my crab cakes. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fish-Stop/195232340520392

This is the result, we have full bellies, thinking about a sleep but I think I will take the dogs for a walk.

I served this with grilled bacon and lemon wedges. For a sauce I used Urban Appetites Avocado Sauce.

Ingredients

400 grams crabmeat or 1 400g tin of salmon
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 chopped red bell pepper (150g)
¹⁄³ cup of spring onions, trimmed and chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
¼ teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup GF breadcrumbs, plus extra, ½ cup for dredging
½ cup GF mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

Drain and look through crabmeat to make sure it has no shells or cartilage and chill in the refrigerator.

Place the olive oil in a 250mm frying pan and put pan over a medium heat. Add the peppers and onion, sauté for at least 5 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly. Stir in the garlic and salt and cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove the vegetables from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Once the vegetables are cool to the touch add them to the crabmeat. Add the eggs, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise,  Dijon and season with salt and pepper. Very carefully mix all ingredients together. The best way to mix the crab mixture is with clean hands; however, you can use a spoon or spatula. It is important to mix gently to keep the crabmeat intact.

From the mixture form ½-cup oval cakes with your hands and place them on a clean plate, separating the layers of cakes with baking/wax paper. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before frying.

Fill a deep fryer with vegetable oil, (I use canola oil) to the maximum line. Preheat to 190C. While the oil is heating, roll the crab cakes in breadcrumbs to coat. When oil is ready, place about 2 crab cakes in the basket, lower into the oil, and cook for about 2 to 4 minutes, turning the cakes half way through cooking time. Lift basket and let the oil drain out. With a pair of tongs, place crab cakes on layered paper towels to drain and lightly season with salt. Continue with the remaining cakes and serve immediately.

If you don’t have a deep fryer a high sided fry pan will do and shallow fry using a slotted spoon to turn.