Casanova Crab Cakes

A letter of apology to Lady Casanova, my mother...

While taking a quiz in culinary class tonight it dawned on my that I completely forgot one of the most significant days of my life, August 3rd, the day my mother was born. 

Although it sounds absurd to even think about what could've happened if that day never occurred, it's not absolutely ridiculous. Summed up best by Robert Frost,  

"Two roads diverged in a wood

And I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference" 

Reflecting how I became so passionate about cooking, I realized that it was my mother guiding me to take the road less traveled. The most significant fork in the road where my mom pushed me to explore the kitchen was when I was a freshman in high school. 'Let's have a dinner party for your friends', she said to me. After a few days of coaxing, she finally pushed me to create a 5 course menu. To tell you the truth, the only thing I remember cooking was the appetizer, New England Crab Cakes. I remember them being crunchy on the outside, tender in the middle and full of flavor in every bite. 

The guilt of not calling my mother started to build in class but I couldn't leave. The only thing that helped to temporarily extinguish my guilt was the fact that we were coincidentally learning how to make crab cakes. Making crab cakes tonight sparked memories of my mother and I in the kitchen creating delicious meals, laughing and loving our time together. 

A smile shined within my heart while I plated the crab cakes tonight. At dinner, a tear was brought to my eye while my team graciously complimented the dish on its flavor, texture and seasoning of the cakes. I knew I made them with TLC, I just wished my mother was there to taste the TLC.

Casanova Crab Cakes with Roasted Pepper Remoulade

Yields: 10 appetizers (3 - 2 oz cakes/plate = 60 oz)

Prep Time 30 min / Cook Time 20 min / Plating 10 min

Ingredients:

• 2 lb crabmeat, lump
  
• 1 lb crabmeat, claw
  
• 6 oz mayo
  
• 4 eggs, beaten
  
• 1 TBS dijon mustard
  
• 1 TBS Worcestershire
  
• 1 TBS salt
  
• 1 tsp white pepper
  
• 1 TBS Cayenne Pepper
  
• 3 TBS Parsley, chopped
  
• 8 scallions, finely sliced
  
• 4 oz bread crumbs
  
• 2 oz slivered almonds, toasted and crushed
  
• 3 oz panko crumbs
  
• 1/3 cup clarified butter or canola oil 
  
• 1 Roasted Bell Pepper, peeled, cored, seeded & small diced
  
• 1 pt Remoulade Sauce (use recipe below or buy tartar sauce)
  
• Lemon wedges, garnish
  
• Mixed greens, garnish
  

Preparation

1. Pick over crab cakes and remove shell
2. Mix together mayo, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, cayenne, parsley, scallions. Add bread crumbs and fold to combine.
3. On a plate, mix Panko crumbs with toasted almonds. Scoop out a 2 oz and place it on the Panko crumbs mixture and cover it completely with Pankos. Mold a crab cake by softly pushing top and bottom together and pressing sides to firmness. Place on baking sheet. Can be made up to two days in advance.
4. Pan-fry cakes in oil or butter until brown on both sides and cooked through. 
5. Add roasted bell pepper into Remoulade sauce.

Remoulade

Yield 1 qt

Ingredients:

• 4 oz Dill pickles
  
• 2 oz onion, brunoise
  
• 2 oz capers
  
• 1 qt mayo
  
• 1 TBS Anchovy paste
  
• 2 TBS parsley, chopped
  
• 3 TBS Lime Juice
  
• 1/3 cup Sriracha
  

Preparation:

1. Mix all above ingredients together, can be made up to 1 week in advance.

Tune in for next week when I forget my dad's Birthday...Just joking, I forgot that date a few months ago...

Love you mom... 

Can't wait to incorporate tea in the recipe and enjoy it with my mom...