What to do when the fish dies and you can't release it.
Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
from the Williams-Sonoma Seafood Cookbook
Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
from the Williams-Sonoma Seafood Cookbook
For the Lemon Aioli:
| 1 clove garlic | sea salt and white pepper |
| 1 egg yolk | 1/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil |
| 2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil | Grated zest of one lemon |
| 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, to taste |
To make the aioli, using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic and a pinch of salt together. Add the egg yolk and whisk until thick and sticky, about 15 seconds. Gradually whisk in the canola oil, a drop at a time, until the sauce thickens, and then in a thin stream, whisk in the olive oil and add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if desired.
The Crab:
| 1/2 lb. fresh lump crabmeat | 1 Tbsp. minced chives |
| 1 shallot, minced | 1/4 cup finely minced celery |
| 2 Tbsps. creme fraiche or sour cream | Grated zest of one lemon |
| Tabasco sauce | 1 egg white |
| Cornmeal for dredging | Canola oil for frying |
| 1 1/2 Tblsps. extra-virgin olive oil | 1 Tbsp. lemon juice |
| 2 bunches watercress or arugula, stemmed |
* Pick over the crabmeat for shell fragments and drain into a sieve for up to 15 minutes, if needed. In a bowl, combine the crabmeat, chives, shallot, celery, cr¸me fraiche, lemon zest, and Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir to combine. In a deep bowl, whisk the egg white until stiff peaks form, then fold the egg white into the crab mixture. Place the cornmeal in a shallow bowl.
* Form 1/3 cup of the crab mixture into a flat patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 6 crab cakes, placing each onto a small baking sheet. Using a metal spatula, transfer each crabcaket o the bowl of cornmeal and carefully turn to coat evenly on all sides. Return the cakes to the baking sheet and refrigerate for one hour; this will help them hold together when fried.
* In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat about 1/4 inch of canola oil until the oil shimmers. Add the cakes in batches and fry until golden, 1-2 minutes on each side. Keep the crab cakes warm in a 200 F degree oven while frying the remaining cakes.
* In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice until blended. Add the watercress and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Divide the dressed greens among three salad plates or 2 dinner plates. Divide the crab cakes over the greens and top each with a dollop of lemon aioli. Serve at once.