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Heavenly Little Crab Cakes

Source of Recipe

From "Sunday Brunch" by Betty Rosbottom


Recipe Introduction

"Baked rather than fried, these crab cakes are small enough to eat in a single bite. They have a golden, crisp coating and are lusciously smooth inside. The crunchy exteriors come from a mixture of panko crumbs and grated Parmesan that is pressed onto the bottoms of mini muffin tins. A melange of fresh crab, cream cheese, and citrus zests is spooned on top and covered with more panko mix. These miniature crab cakes, which need about a half hour in the oven, are equally good as sides or as openers for a brunch menu."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 1 egg
â—¦ ¼ cup sour cream
â—¦ 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
â—¦ ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
â—¦ 4 tablespoons chopped chives
â—¦ Generous ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
â—¦ 6 ounces fresh crabmeat, preferably unpasteurized, drained well
â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the muffin tins
â—¦ 1 cup panko crumbs
â—¦ ¼ cup purchased mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Equipment Needed:
â—¦ Two nonstick 12-cup mini-muffin tins


Recipe

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the Parmesan and the egg. Continue to beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, orange and lemon zests, 1 tablespoon of the chives, the salt, and cayenne. Beat until combined well, about 30 seconds, and then fold in the crabmeat. (The filling can be made one day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the muffin tins generously.

Place the panko crumbs, remaining ½ cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the chives in a small bowl. Add the 4 tablespoons melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 tablespoon of the panko mixture onto the bottom of each muffin cup, and then spoon 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture into each. Sprinkle a generous 1 teaspoon of the panko mixture over each. (You may have some panko mixture left over.)

Bake the crab cakes until golden and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and cool in pans for 5 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around each crab cake and gently lift it out. (The crab cakes can be prepared 2 hours ahead; arrange on a baking sheet and let stand uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm in a preheated 350-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Arrange the crab cakes (bottom-sides up) on a serving platter.
Whisk the mayonnaise and mustard together and place a small dollop on top of each crab cake. Sprinkle the crab cakes with the remaining chives. Serve warm.


Makes 24 crab cakes, to serve 8



• Fresh crabmeat works best in this recipe. If you use pasteurized crab, drain it well and press to remove any excess moisture.