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Mini Crab Cakes with Old Bay Mayonnaise

Source of Recipe

From "Back Around the Table" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Baltimore's Inner Harbor is known for its cultural attractions, nightlife, and, most of all, restaurants. As you wander around, you can't help but notice the smell of fresh seafood, especially Maryland crab cakes. All crab cakes start with the lump meat of blue crabs pulled from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. From there, everyone has his or her own idea of what belongs - or doesn't - in Maryland-style crab cakes. My bite-size version is paired with a dipping sauce of homemade mayonnaise and Old Bay seasoning, an essential ingredient in this Maryland tradition."

List of Ingredients

Crab Cakes:
◦  Vegetable oil spray
◦  ½ cup mayonnaise
◦  1 large egg, lightly beaten
◦  Zest and juice of 1 lemon
◦  ½ teaspoon kosher salt
◦  ¼ teaspoon white pepper
◦  ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
◦  1½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
◦  2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
◦  2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
◦  2 Tbsp finely chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers
◦  1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

Old Bay Mayonnaise:
◦  3 large egg yolks
◦  1 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
◦  1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
◦  1 Tbsp water
◦  1½ cups canola oil
◦  2 tsp fresh lemon juice


Recipe

To make the crab cakes, preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil spray.

Put the mayonnaise, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, white pepper, bread crumbs, Old Bay, red onion, parsley, and bell peppers in a bowl and mix. Using a spatula, carefully fold the crabmeat into the mayonnaise mixture, taking care not to break up the crabmeat too much. Do not overmix. Using your hands, form the crab mixture into 30 to 32 cakes. Arrange the crab cakes on the prepared baking sheet. (The crab cakes can be wrapped well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month.) Bake the crab cakes for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly brown. (If frozen, bake for 12 to 15 minutes.)

To make the mayonnaise, put the egg yolks, Old Bay, vinegar, and water into a blender. Blend well to combine. With the blender running, gradually add the canola oil in a steady stream and blend until the oil is incorporated and the mayonnaise becomes thick. Transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl and whisk in the lemon juice. (Cover and refrigerate the mayonnaise for up to 3 days.) Serve the hot crab cakes with the mayonnaise on the side.


Makes 30 to 32