These crab cakes feature Dungeness crab meat since I live on the West Coast where it’s plentiful. Alternate versions could have salmon, or even canned albacore tuna.
Generally, crab cakes are held together by using a mixture of egg and bread crumbs. In this recipe, to lower the carbs, a mousseline of shrimp, egg, and cream is used to bind the cakes together.
Crispy Crab Cakes with Aioli
Yield: 16 crab cakes // 5 servings of 3 crab cakes each
363 calories, 5 net carbs (aioli not counted
5 oz raw shrimp
1 egg, chilled
1/3 cup heavy cream
10 oz. crab meat
1/4 cup chives, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup unflavored pork rinds, crushed
1/4 cup butter
Aioli
Recipe here
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Next, chill your food processor’s bowl and blade in the freezer (if you have room) or refrigerator.
Add the shrimp to the chilled food processor, salt and pepper, and egg. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the cream until blended to a paste-like consistency.
Add the mousseline to the crab, chives, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp.of salt). Mix well.
Divide mixture into 5 portions and roll into balls, then roll in the crushed pork rinds. Coat evenly.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Place half the crab cake balls into the pan and press down lightly with the back of a spatula to create fat little patties about 1″ thick. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, then turn over and repeat the process. When the cakes are done, transfer them to a baking sheet and place in the oven. Then, using the same method, cook up the remaining crab cakes, and place them in the oven, too. Bake the crab cakes for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, plate up, and drizzle each serving (of three crab cakes) with aioli, plus a slice of lemon.