For the Love of Crab Cakes!

     I've made crab cakes more times than I can count on my fingers and toes, and I think the only reason I haven't blogged about them yet is because they are all eaten too quickly for me to take pictures. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but these are beyond great. Crispy crunchy on the outside and soft and tender in the middle, that's my kinda crab cake.

        Now you may ask, how does a poor college girl like myself have the funding to make such a dish? Well the secret is canned crab, and to be honest, I've used the cheapest can on the shelf (1.99 for 6 oz) and when it's all mixed with seasonings and fried to crisp perfection, you'd have no idea. I serve it with a simple corn salsa and a smoky lemon aioli. The flavors go SO well together all in one bite, with the crunch of the sweet corn and peppers, a little kick from the creamy aioli and the crisp, salty and sweet crab cake....its absolutely delicious.

         What is seemingly a fancy and expensive dish, in all actuality, is very simple to make and affordable. Serve with a salad of mixed greens and some veggies and call it dinner!

Crab Cakes w/ Corn Salsa and Smoky Lemon Aioli

Makes approximately 9 cakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil- for frying

2 6oz cans crabmeat, drained of all liquid

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp breadcrumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp finely chopped onion (green onions work too)

1/3 cup very finely chopped bell pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp old bay seasoning

For aioli:

1/2 cup mayo

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

heaping 1/4 tsp garlic powder

heaping 1/4 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

For Corn Salsa:

1 cup corn

1/3 cup chopped bell pepper

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

First make aioli and salsa to let flavors set. For each, in separate bowls, mix together all ingredients listed and put in fridge. 

To make crab cakes, heat vegetable oil in large pan on medium heat (level 5-6). Make sure the crab meat cans are thoroughly drained of all liquid, and put in medium bowl. Add in rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. It will be a pretty wet mixture. Use hands and shape mixture into about 9 patties, about 1/4 cup each. Put into heated oil and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side or until crisp golden brown. (The crabmeat is precooked so don't worry about cooking through) Remove from oil and set aside on paper towel over plate to drain. Serve with salsa and aioli.