ALLOWING THE CRAB CAKE PATTIES TO CHILL FOR A FEW HOURS IN THE REFRIGERATOR BEFORE PAN-FRYING THEM PREVENTS THEM FROM FALLING APART IN THE SKILLET.
PREP 30 minutes
COOK 12 minutes
CHILL 2 hours
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small skillet cook sweet pepper, green onion, and garlic in hot butter 4 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
2. Stir crabmeat, mayonnaise, ⅓ cup of the bread crumbs, the parsley, and mustard into the sweet pepper mixture. Shape crabmeat mixture into eight patties and place on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Place remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dip each patty into bread crumbs; return to baking sheet. Cover loosely and chill patties 2 to 4 hours.
4. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Cook crab cakes, half at a time, 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and heated through. (Keep cooked crab cakes warm in a 200°F oven while cooking remaining crab cakes.) MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
MEXICAN CRAB CAKES Prepare as directed, except reduce red sweet pepper to 2 Tbsp. and cook 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, with the mixture in Step 1. Substitute snipped fresh cilantro for the parsley, and add 1½ tsp. each chili powder and ground cumin to the mixture in Step 2.
RED CURRY-BASIL CRAB CAKES Prepare as directed, except substitute fresh snipped basil for the parsley and add 1½ Tbsp. red curry paste to the mixture in Step 2. If desired, serve with lime wedges and top with fresh cilantro.
CAJUN CRAB CAKES Prepare as directed, except reduce sweet red pepper to 2 Tbsp. and cook 2 Tbsp. finely chopped celery with the mixture in Step 1. Add 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning to the mixture in Step 2. If desired, serve with cajun mayonnaise or tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
PESTO CRAB CAKES Prepare as directed, except reduce mayonnaise to 3 Tbsp., omit parsley, and add 2 Tbsp. basil pesto to the mixture in Step 2. Serve crab cakes with additional basil pesto, 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil.
PER SERVING 448 cal., 29 g fat (7 g sat. fat), 143 mg chol., 796 mg sodium, 15 g carb., 1 g fiber, 30 g pro.