These crab cakes are very easy to make and fast to cook. I used vegan basil mayonnaise but you could replace this with ready made mayo. You could also substitute green courgettes for the yellow. I served this as a starter.
Ingredients (makes 4 small cakes)
240g crab meat
2 tbsp finely chopped red chillies
4 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 tsp Thai fish sauce
6 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp basil mayonnaise
20 freshly chopped basil leaves, (approximately 4 tbsps)
Flour to coat
Oil to fry
For the concasse
1 or 2 yellow courgettes (depending on size)
4 medium red tomatoes
Chervil or parsley, chopped
Zest of half a lemon or lime
salt
To serve:
Annatto oil or basil oil
Slices of charred lemon or lime (I use a blow-torch)
A few green shoots
For the crab cakes:
Ingredients (makes 4 small cakes)
240g crab meat
2 tbsp finely chopped red chillies
4 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 tsp Thai fish sauce
6 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp basil mayonnaise
20 freshly chopped basil leaves, (approximately 4 tbsps)
Flour to coat
Oil to fry
For the concasse
1 or 2 yellow courgettes (depending on size)
4 medium red tomatoes
Chervil or parsley, chopped
Zest of half a lemon or lime
salt
To serve:
Annatto oil or basil oil
Slices of charred lemon or lime (I use a blow-torch)
A few green shoots
For the crab cakes:
- Place all the ingredients except for the flour and oil in a bowl. Mix well and squeeze the mixture together with your hands. Shape into four cakes.
- Shake a dusting of flour onto a plate. Carefully coat each crab cake in flour. At this point you can store the crab cakes in a covered container in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
- Fry the crab cakes gently in oil for approximately 4 minutes on each side until a light golden brown.
- Plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain and immerse in ice cold water. The skins should now be easily removed.
- Remove the tomato skins. Quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds and any white fleshy parts. Chop the tomato flesh into small dice. Set aside.
- Cut the courgettes into small dice. You are aiming for an approximately equal amount of courgette to tomato. Steam or microwave for a few minutes until tender. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Mix together the tomatoes, courgettes and chervil or parsley and zest. Add a little salt to taste just before plating. If you add it earlier you will end up with the concasse sitting in a puddle.
- Place a chef’s ring or pastry cutter of approximately the same diameter as a crab cake in the centre of the plate.
- Fill with the concasse and remove ring.
- Place a crab cake on top of the concasse and arrange the green shoots and charred lemon or lime slices around. Drizzle a little oil around the plate.
- Seve with basil mayonnaise in a separate bowl.
