"Set one of these next to a couple of fried eggs with a slab of toasted and buttered baguette, and call it Sunday brunch. I prefer a good-quality hard-smoked salmon, but lox will work fine if you can get the less salty Nova style." -Tom Douglas
Reprinted with permission from I Love Crab Cakes! by Tom Douglas (Harper Collins 2006).
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 pound crabmeat, drained, picked clean of shell, and lightly squeezed if wet
- 1/4 pound smoked salmon, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons minced parsley
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs, for dredging
- About 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the crabmeat, salmon, parsley, lemon zest, pepper, and cayenne until well combined. Then fold in the fresh bread crumbs. Divide the mixture into 4 mounds and form into 4 patties. Place the patties on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
When ready to fry the crab cakes, spread the dried bread crumbs on a large plate. Lightly sprinkle the cakes with bread crumbs on both sides. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, place all the patties in the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides and hot through, turning once with a spatula, about 4 minutes per side. The internal temperature of a crab cake should read 155°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Transfer the crab cakes to 4 plates, serving 1 per person, and serve with Lemon Dill Cream as an appetizer or as part of a brunch menu.
