Ingredients

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
  • 1 pound picked Dungeness crabmeat
  • 1/4 cup snipped chives
  • 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon Crystal hot sauce
  • 11/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 tablespoons canola or olive oil

Method

  • DIRECTIONS
  • 1. Whisk the cream and egg yolks together.
  • 2. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper and fennel to the pan and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • 3. Add vegetables to the cream mixture, along with the crab, herbs, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.
  • 4. Whisk eggs in a small, shallow bowl. Add the panko to one plate and the flour to another.
  • 5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Form crab mixture into cakes about 21/2 inches around. Dredge each cake in the flour, then the egg, then the panko. Add to the pan about four at a time and cook on each side for about 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining cakes in two batches. Serve with lemon wedges or mayonnaise.