Ingredients
- Bechamel Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1 cup hot milk
- 1 bay leaf
- Crab Cakes:
- 1 lb. crabmeat
- 1/2 red pepper, finely diced
- 2 green onions, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- dash of Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup butter
- Roasted Red Pepper Aioli:
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Preparation
Step 1
To make bechamel sauce: Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan and add flour. Mix thoroughly and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Do not brown. Gradually stir hot milk into flour mixture until it forms a smooth sauce. Add bay leaf and cook for just a few minutes. Chill. Remove bay leaf from sauce.
Squeeze any liquid from crabmeat and add crab to bechamel sauce. Add red pepper, onion, breadcrumbs, cayenne, lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt and pepper to sauce. Mix thoroughly. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
Form crab mixture into 2" balls for appetizer-sized cakes (larger for main course). Roll in breadcrumbs and flatten. Melt butter and brown each side. Makes 36 appetizers.
To make Aioli: Puree red peppers. Add mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice to roasted red pepper puree. Refrigerate until serving.