Seafood: House Beautiful’s Crab Cakes with Buttermilk-Basil Dressing and Marinated Tomatoes

By JoFClark

Ingredients

• 1/1 /2 pounds jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (4-5 slices white bread without crust, processed in food processor)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, more if needed
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Dressing
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt to taste
• Marinated Tomatoes and corn
• 2 ears of fresh corn
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 fat tablespoon of tiny fresh basil leaves
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

1 Mix crabmeat, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, egg white, and lemon juice until just blended. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into 6 large cakes. Put them on a plate, cover loosely, and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

2 To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high until smooth; salt to taste. The flavor should remind you of classic ranch dressing. This sauce should be served at room temperature, so pull it out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before you plate up.

3 Roast the unshucked corn in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until the husks are brown and parchment-like. The corn will steam in its own jacket, creating an unbelievable, naturally sweet flavor. Once the ears are cool, peel the husks back. Using a sharp knife, slice kernels from the cob into a mixing bowl.

4 Cut up the tomatoes, not too small. Toss the tomatoes and corn with the Old Bay, lemon juice, olive oil, basil,sea salt, and pepper and let it marinate in the fridge to chill. (Up to an hour in advance, more time allows salt to pull too much water out of the tomatoes).

5 Take the crab cakes out of the refrigerator. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until they are nice and crisp. To assemble, spoon some dressing on each plate and place a crab cake in the center. Sprinkle tomato and corn mixture over the top and serve immediately.