Crab Cakes with Sweet Curry Red Bell Pepper Sauce

From the book Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home by Charlie Trotter

Serves

6

Ingredients

Sauce

	½	cup mayonnaise
	½	roasted red bell pepper
	½	tsp. minced garlic
	½	tsp. sweet curry powder
	~	Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cakes

	¾	cup breadcrumbs
	1½	Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
	12	oz. lump crabmeat, cleaned
	3	Tbsp. diced red bell pepper
	1	jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
	2	Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
	2	tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
	~	Salt and freshly ground black pepper
	2	Tbsp. canola oil

Steps

1. Purée the mayonnaise, roasted red bell pepper, garlic, and curry powder until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the breadcrumbs and parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Place the crab in a medium bowl. Fold in the red bell pepper, jalapeño, chives, and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in ¼ cup of the breadcrumb mixture and 5 tablespoons of the sauce.
3. Divide the crab mixture into 18 equal portions and form into small patties. Dredge the crab cakes in the remaining breadcrumbs. Cook the crab cakes in the canola oil in a hot sauté pan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown and crispy.
4. Top each crab cake with a small spoonful of the sauce and serve warm.

Notes

It is easy to make breadcrumbs at home. Allow any type of bread to dry out completely, grind it in a food processor or blender until fine, and pass the crumbs through a sieve to remove any large pieces. If you don’t have time to let the bread dry naturally, place it in a 200-degrees oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until dry. You can experiment with different types of bread, but sourdough bread adds a particularly tantalizing flavor.

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