May 2009

Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

4 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, cored, Seeded, and cut into ½" strips
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons chopped italian parsley
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 drops tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1½ pounds fresh crab meat (preferably Maine)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Make the sauce: Combine the red peppers, 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic in a food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and set it aside.

Make the crab cakes: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute it until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl and let it cool.

Add to the onion mixture the mustard, worcestershire sauce, parsley, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir the mixture well to combine. Stir in the egg, heavy cream and bread crumbs. Gently fold in the crab meat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape the mixture into 12 patties and place them on the baking sheet. Refrigerate the patties, covered, for 2 to 4 hours.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add six crab cakes and saute them over medium-high heat until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove the patties to a shallow pan and set them aside in a warm oven. Saute the remaining patties in the skillet, using additional olive oil if needed.

Warm the roasted red pepper sauce over low heat.

Divide the sauce among six plates, place two crab cakes on top of the sauce on each plate, and serve at once.

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