Crab Cakes with Creole Mustard

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
• •Thin metal spatula
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the Creole mustard sauce

   Whisk together the Creole mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Taste it. The mustard should lead, with a tangy brightness from the lemon and just enough heat to make your lips tingle. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the crab cakes. This gives the flavors time to get acquainted.

   Zatarain's Creole mustard is my go-to. It's got that proper grainy texture and the right balance of vinegar and spice. If you can't find it, mix whole grain mustard with a splash of cider vinegar.
2. 2

   Check your crabmeat

   Spread the crabmeat on a rimmed baking sheet and go through it gently with your fingertips, feeling for any shell fragments. Be thorough but don't crush the lumps. Those beautiful chunks of crab are what you're paying for, and you want them intact in the finished cake. Remove any cartilage you find.

3. 3

   Build the binding mixture

   In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, beaten egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Cajun seasoning, salt, and cayenne. Add the green onions and parsley, stirring to combine. This is your binder. It should be loose enough to coat but thick enough to hold.

   Taste the binding mixture before you add the crab. Season now, because you can't fix it once the crab is in without manhandling those precious lumps.
4. 4

   Fold in crab and breadcrumbs

   Add the crabmeat to the bowl and sprinkle the panko over the top. Now here's where discipline matters: fold gently with a rubber spatula, lifting from the bottom and turning. You want to coat the crab with the binder, not mash it into paste. Stop the moment everything looks combined. Five or six folds should do it.

5. 5

   Form the cakes

   Spread about a cup of panko on a plate for coating. Divide the crab mixture into eight equal portions. Using your hands, gently form each portion into a cake about three inches across and one inch thick. Don't pack them tight. You're shaping, not compressing. Press each cake lightly into the panko on both sides, just enough to give the exterior something to crisp.

   If the mixture feels too loose to hold together, refrigerate for fifteen minutes. Cold cakes hold their shape better in the pan.
6. 6

   Chill the cakes

   Place the formed cakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least twenty minutes. This firms them up and helps them hold together when they hit the hot pan. You can make them up to six hours ahead and keep them refrigerated until you're ready to cook.

7. 7

   Heat your pan

   Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the butter and oil together. When the butter foams and the foam starts to subside, you're ready. The temperature should be hot enough to sizzle when the cake hits the pan, but not so hot that the butter browns immediately.

8. 8

   Pan-fry until golden

   Carefully place the crab cakes in the pan, leaving space between them. Don't crowd the pan; work in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for three to four minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp. You'll see the edges turn golden before you flip. Using a thin spatula, turn each cake gently. Cook another three to four minutes until the second side matches the first.

   Resist the urge to press down on the cakes. You'll squeeze out the moisture and flatten those beautiful lumps into a dense puck.
9. 9

   Rest and serve

   Transfer the cakes to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly. Serve two cakes per person with a generous spoonful of Creole mustard sauce alongside and a wedge of fresh lemon. At Lagniappe, we serve these on a bed of dressed greens, but they're just as good on their own with the sauce and a cold beer.

Chef Tips

• •Buy the best crabmeat you can afford. Jumbo lump from the Gulf is worth the price. Claw meat is cheaper but shreds too fine for a cake with presence. If you can't find Gulf blue crab, look for domestic lump from the Atlantic. Just avoid the imported stuff that's been sitting in a tin.
• •Cold crab cakes are easier to handle. If yours start falling apart when you form them, pop the bowl in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes and try again.
• •The butter and oil combination gives you the best of both worlds: butter flavor with a higher smoke point. Don't skimp on the butter. This is Louisiana cooking, not health food.
• •These cakes are rich. A crisp, acidic salad alongside (dressed simply with lemon and olive oil) provides balance and makes the meal feel complete without overwhelming the star of the show.

Advance Preparation

• •The Creole mustard sauce can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor actually improves overnight.
• •Formed crab cakes can be refrigerated for up to six hours before cooking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• •For longer storage, freeze uncooked crab cakes on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen, adding two to three minutes per side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 185g)