Ingredients

  • 1 lb best-quality lump crabmeat (not pasteurized)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure chile powder (like ancho, New Mexico or chipotle)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon creole mustard (or whole-grain)
  • 3 dashes louisiana hot sauce
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped (white and green parts)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/2 lemon, juice of
  • 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumb
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • jalapeno, remoulade (recipe follows)
  • Jalapeno Remoulade
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced (white parts only)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 lime, juice of

Method

  • To Make Jalapeno Remoulade: (Note: Makes about 1 1/4 cups. For the best results, make this spicy condiment a few hours in advance and then cover and refrigerate, so the flavors have time to develop.).
  • Whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl; cover and refrigerate until needed.
  • To Make Crab Cakes: Place the crab meat in a large mixing bowl and carefully pick through for shells; set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, poblano, garlic, salt, chile powder, black pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened but not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.
  • Add the crab, the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, scallion, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs to the vegetable mixture. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients.
  • Using a 1-cup measuring cup, form the mixture into cakes, packing gently; they should look like hockey pucks, about 2 inches thick with straight sides. Cover the cakes and chill for 20 to 30 minutes, or overnight.
  • When you are ready to cook the crab cakes, place the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs in a pie tin. Dredge both sides of each cake in the crumbs, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, fry the crab cakes for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan-fry in batches if necessary, adding more oil if needed. Serve immediately, with Jalapeno Remoulade.