Crab cakes are one of my favorite foods. I tried them for the first time at Don Rico’s in Daytona Beach, Florida. I loved them at first bite so I set out to make my own version. With a little bit of studying, I made my own crab cake dish. Mine are served with cayenne cornbread, pimento cheese, and sauteed corn over a chimichurri sauce.
INGREDIENTS
For the crab cakes:
- 1 lb crab
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbs Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 Tbs olive oil, plus more for frying
- 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
For the cornbread:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 Tbs butter, melted
- 1 cup frozen corn, finely chopped in food processor
For the chimichurri sauce:
- 1/4 cup dill
- 1/4 cup tarragon
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 serrano pepper, minced
- salt to taste
For the sauteed corn:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbs honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
- 1 Tbs chives
- 2 ears of corn, sliced off cob
For the pimento cheese
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup gouda
- 1/2 cup Manchego cheese
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 serrano pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp cayenne
DIRECTIONS
For the chimichurri sauce:
Combine all of the chimichurri sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
For the cornbread:
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, brown sugar, melted butter, and frozen corn. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake cornbread for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
For the crab cakes:
Boil crab for one minute per ounce. Flake into a large bowl when ready.
Combine the remaining crab cake ingredients with the cooked crab meat.
Form into 3-4 patties and fry in a medium saucepan in olive oil until golden brown on both sides.
For the sauteed corn:
Combine mayonnaise, honey, garlic, chipotle powder, olive oil, chives, and corn in a medium bowl. Add corn mixture to a medium saucepan and cook until corn is soft. Set aside.
For the pimento cheese:
Melt cheddar, gouda, and Manchego in a small bowl in microwave. Add cream cheese, minced serrano pepper, and cayenne to melted cheeses and mix until smooth.
To plate:
Cut out cornbread slices with a round cookie cutter or drinking glass. Round out edges of crab cakes with circular cookie cutter. Spoon 2 Tbs of chimichurri sauce on plate. Stack crab cake on top of cornbread and place on top of chimichurri sauce. Turn stack to create a swirl design on plate. Use the back of a spoon to swipe pimento cheese on one side of the plate. Spoon sauteed corn on the opposite side. Enjoy!
Rose Garden Cafe 