Red Pepper Crab Cakes

Name: Red Pepper Crab Cakes
Yield: Makes 8 crab cakes; serves 8 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course
Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh orange juice; Juice of 1 lime; 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 8 leaves, thinly sliced; 1 heaping tablespoon honey; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1/2 small head of red cabbage, finely shredded; 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated; 2 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 piquillo peppers, drained, or 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded (see page 250), and chopped; 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained; 1/4 teaspoon ground chile de árbol or cayenne; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over; 3 green onions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced; 2 to 3 tablespoons Wondra flour; 2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs; Basil Vinaigrette (recipe follows); Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish; 1 cup tightly packed chopped fresh basil leaves; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey; Kosher salt; (makes about 3/4 cup)

December 14, 2011

The dominant component of any good crab cake should always be crab—not breading. An extra finely milled flour such as Wondra is the perfect binder; it helps hold the cake together without adding its own texture or flavor to the mix—this is all gorgeous crab. The spicy-sweet tang of roasted piquillo peppers gives these crab cakes a kick of rich flavor. This gorgeous purple slaw, with ribbons of bright green basil running throughout, is slightly sweet and totally fresh. More than a garnish, it delivers crunch and taste that complete the dish.

Recipe notes

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