not quite a cake...

if it has cake in its name, is shaped like a cake, looks like a little cake but tastes nothing like a cake...can we consider it baking (even though it's fried)? since the funk refuses to leave my kitchen, i've moved on...to more savory topics for the time being. how 'bout some crab CAKE, folks??

until i met the hubby, there were some things i had never done / eaten before. i had never eaten a meal while sitting at the bar. i had never tried key lime pie...and i had never ordered a crab cake. i couldn't see how a little patty of crab meat + bread crumbs could be worth $20...as an APPETIZER! years ago, i attempted to make these at home...and let's just say that almost 10 years later, the hubby STILL remembers those crab cakes...not fondly. =P

so i put aside the idea of making crab cakes, thinking they belonged to the realm of chefs-only until crab cakes showed up on the menu at cooking class. woohoo! YUM...no wonder the hubby likes these things!

crazy that i am...i also made garlic aioli (plus relish...a la tarter sauce!) to go with the crab cakes. garlic aioli is a fancy word for mayonnaise with garlic...folks, this is NOT something you eat on a first date!! it was a little strong on the garlic (i could still taste garlic for hours...) but still quite tasty.

normally there would be a picture of the finished crab cake but SOMEONE I WON'T NAME ate them so fast i couldn't take a picture!!

crab cakes (adapted from allrecipes.com)
(note: we used peekytoe crab for these babies, which makes for a little "mushier" texture. as it was the first time we tried it, i think we found that we both prefer jumbo lump crab meat.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 green onions, chopped

3/8 cup olive oil

1 pound (16 ounces) crab meat

2 eggs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon dry mustard

6 ounces buttery round crackers, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon old bay seasoning

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1. heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over high heat. saute onions briefly until tender and set aside to cool.
2. combine crab meat, sauteed green onions, eggs, mayonnaise, dry mustard, crushed crackers, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, old bay seasoning, salt and pepper. form into 1/2 inch thick patties. place in freezer for 15 minutes.
3. remove from freezer and coat patties with bread crumbs. heat 1/2 cup oil in skillet over medium high heat. cook cakes until golden brown on each side. drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.

garlic aioli (from the joy of cooking)

2 egg yolks

5 cloves garlic, minced

salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup oil*

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cold water
*the joy of cooking recommends olive oil, or part olive oil, safflower oil or peanut oil.

1. whisk the egg yolks, garlic, salt and white pepper until smooth and light.
2. whisk the oil in by DROPS until the mixture starts to thicken and stiffen. as the sauce begins to thicken, whisk in the oil more steadily. (make sure each addition is thoroughly blended before adding the next.)
3. gradually, whisk in the lemon juice and cold water. taste and adjust seasonings.
4. serve immediately or store in a jar in the fridge for 1-2 days.