Target: 6 × 4 inches · landscape

Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon-Chive Aioli

64 min · 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients

□ 1 lb lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shell fragments

□ 1 large egg

□ 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

□ 10 tbsp mayonnaise, divided (2 tbsp for cakes; 8 tbsp for aioli)

□ 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

□ 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced, divided

□ 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

□ 3/8 tsp kosher salt, divided (1/4 tsp for cakes; 1/8 tsp for aioli)

□ 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

□ 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

□ 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

□ 2 tbsp neutral oil

1. Pick over the crab and keep it cold. Stir the lemon-chive aioli together and chill it.

2. Whisk the binder, fold in crab and panko gently, shape small cakes, and chill until firm.

3. Heat oil until shimmering. Sear cakes in uncrowded batches until crisp and golden on both sides.

4. Serve the warm crab cakes in a single layer with chilled aioli for dipping.

Cook’s note: Fold gently and use a thin spatula to keep the crab pieces intact.