Dungeness Crab Cakes

By á-30

Ingredients

• For the crab cakes
• 10 ounces cooked lump Dungeness crabmeat
• 2 tablespoons finely diced celery
• 1 tablespoon very finely diced jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• For the asparagus vinaigrette
• 12 to 16 medium-thick asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off and discarded
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh chervil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• For the lemon vinaigrette
• 1 Meyer lemon, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup grapeseed oil
• For the tartar sauce
• 1 1/2 cups homemade or good-quality commercial mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cornichons
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup capers, drained, rinsed, and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 whole claws and/or “thighs,” for plating

Preparation

Step 1

Make the crab cakes
1. Pick through the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage and gently squeeze with your hands to remove any excess liquid. Be careful, you don’t want the mixture too dry either.

2. Put the crabmeat into a bowl with the remaining ingredients except the panko and oil and fold the mixture so that it’s just combined and the crab is not broken or mashed. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and shape into cakes that are about 2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches high.

3. Refrigerate the crab cakes until ready to serve.

Make the asparagus vinaigrette
1. Cook the asparagus in a saute pan or skillet of simmering salted water for 3 to 6 minutes, depending on size, or until the spears are barely crisp but still tender and green. Drain and immerse in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain, cut the tips into 3-inch lengths, and set aside.

2. Put the asparagus bottoms into a blender and add the chervil and salt. With the machine running, add both olive oils in a slow stream. Blend for 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, taste for seasoning, and add water to give the vinaigrette a pourable consistency if necessary. Set aside.

Make the lemon vinaigrette
1. Put the lemon pieces (peel and all), corn syrup, vinegar, and salt into a blender and purée until smooth. With the machine running, add the grapeseed oil in a slow stream. Blend for 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, taste for salt, and add water to give the vinaigrette a pourable consistency if necessary. Set aside.

Make the tartar sauce
1. Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Finish and serve
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat the panko onto the tops and bottoms of the crab cakes, then heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium ovenproof skillet. Add the crab cakes and cook for about 2 minutes, or until golden on one side. Flip the cakes over and put the skillet into the oven for 3 minutes to brown the bottom sides.

2. Sprinkle the asparagus with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon a pool of lemon vinaigrette on one side of each of 4 large dinner plates and top with the asparagus spears. (If you have 4 spears per person, you could stack them crosswise, 2 over 2. Otherwise line 3 spears side by side.) Toss the crab claws or “thighs” with some of the lemon vinaigrette and place on top of the asparagus. Spoon a pool of asparagus vinaigrette on the other side of the plate and top with a crab cake and a dollop of tartar sauce.