Tom Saaristo Habanero Crab Cakes

http://tomsaaristo.com

Habañero Crab Cakes

Ingredients

For the vegetables:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup diced sweet onion, like Vidalia
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 habañero chili, minced
Coarse salt or house seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

For the dressing:
1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Zest of half a lemon

15 ounces blue crab meat, cleaned and picked over for shells and cartilage
Scant 1/2 cup Progresso Italian bread crumbs

Unsalted butter for the pan

Method
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam has subsided, add the minced onion and sauté until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and habañero, toss to coat with the butter. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes and season liberally with salt and pepper. Add the fresh thyme leaves, stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and scatter the vegetables on a plate to cool, scraping the pan well.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon, Worcestershire and lemon zest. Add the vegetables and combine thoroughly.

In a large bowl, gently add half the crab without breaking up too many of the larger pieces. Pour half of the vegetable sauce over the crab. Add the rest of the crab, the bread crumbs and the rest of the sauce. Fold the ingredients together, gently but thoroughly.

Dump the mixture onto your work surface to expedite the process of dividing the mixture evenly into 4 large crab cakes for 32 miniature crab cakes. The crab cakes can be covered and refrigerated at this point, up to 12 hours.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Fry the crab cakes until golden brown on one side, 5 to 7 minutes for large crab cakes, 2 to 3 minutes for miniature cakes. Carefully turn the crab cakes over and fry another 5 to 7 or 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size. Remove cooked cakes to a platter lined with paper toweling and tent with foil to maintain heat.