Recipe: Dungeness Crab Cakes with Orange Sauce or Pineapple Salsa

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES

3 cups fresh bread crumbs, divided use
2 large eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced celery
2 Tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 Tablespoon parsley, minced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pound fresh crab meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
Orange Sauce or Pineapple Salsa (recipes follow)

Mix together 1 cup bread crumbs, eggs, mayonnaise, onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley, garlic and seasonings. Stir in crab meat. Chill covered mixture for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Shape crab mixture into 12 small cakes. Evenly coat each cake with remaining bread crumbs. You may not need all the crumbs.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook cakes until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side.

To serve:
Place a large spoonful of Orange Sauce on each plate and top with 2 crab cakes. Drizzle extra sauce over cakes. Alternative serving suggestion: Serve hot crab cakes with Pineapple Salsa on the side.

ORANGE SAUCE

2 large shallots, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup orange juice, reduced by boiling to 2 tbsp
4 tbsp butter, cut into bits
2 tbsp plain yogurt
2 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

In a non-reactive pan, heat shallots, wine and reduced orange juice until the liquid is further reduced to tablespoons. Gradually whisk in butter, stirring well after each addition. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, cream and Tabasco.

PINEAPPLE SALSA
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
1 tablespoon green onion, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir well, cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 6 servings (2 crab cakes each)
Source: Simply Classic by the Junior League of Seattle