Crabcakes

This recipe came to me courtesy of a very talented friend of mine, Chef Olga Sorzano of Lost Gourmet. I had the pleasure of sampling these really delicious crabcakes at a wedding she catered and everyone raved about them...so of course I immediately begged her to share. She based her recipe off of Georges Perrier's "Galette de Crabe le Bec-Fin."  I tweaked it a bit, but for the most part I followed the recipe.

These are special crabcakes - you won't find any filler. Not a single bread crumb. No bell pepper, or onions, or whatever else it is that is usually put into crabcakes around these parts. What holds the crab meat together here is a shrimp mousse. Are they wonderful? You bet. Is this recipe complicated? Not at all, as long as you have a food processor or blender at home.

I have included recipes for two sauces that work really nicely here. Feel free to make one, both or neither. But, seriously? Make both!

While most people wouldn't waste jumbo lump crabmeat on crabcakes, this recipe should be the exception to that rule. The delicate sweetness of the crabmeat is the star here and it won't be hidden by filler or overwhelmed by heavy-handed seasoning. I promise.

Crabcakes

(adapted from Georges Perrier's 'Galette de Crabe le Bec-Fin')

2 bunches of scallions, washed

2 teaspoons butter

2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat

zest from 1 organic lemon

16 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 eggs

1 pint heavy cream

4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire

good-quality olive oil

Place food processor bowl and blade into the freezer to prechill.

Cut the green part of the scallions cross-wise into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Melt butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat and sweat the scallions in the butter for a few minutes, until softened but not browned.

Place crabmeat in a large mixing bowl, add scallions and lemon zest and set aside.

Remove food processor bowl and blade from freezer. Process the shrimp on high speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs and process on high speed until the mixture is smooth and shiny, about 2 minutes. Keep shrimp mixture in bowl and return to freezer to rechill.

Return bowl to processor and slowly add cream while machine is running. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse one more time to make sure the cream is incorporated. Add mustard, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire to the mousse, then fold very gently into crabmeat. Allow this mixture to rest a bit, covered in the refrigerator, before forming into crabcakes.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large saute pan. Gently scoop 1/2-cup portions of crabmeat into crabcakes and gently saute, about 2 minutes per side.

Makes approximately 15 crabcakes.

Lemon-Dill Sauce

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

zest from 1 organic lemon

2 teaspoons organic lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Remoulade Sauce

1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons diced cornichons

1 teaspoon coarse grained dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon champagne/raw apple cider/white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Sriracha (optional)

kosher salt/freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until ingredients are well-mixed but not pureed. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Serve cold or at room temperature.