Crab Cakes

During the Mango Salsa Weekend my mom also bought some crab meat in bulk and to use it up she made some scrumptious crab cakes. These little patties were packed with tons of flavor and had a crunchy, crumbly crust. The crab meat was processed in the Marinade Express resulting in even more tender crab. This dish was another one that the Mango Salsa accompanied perfectly.

Ingredients for 12 Crab Cakes:
1 pound lump crab meat.
1 small red bell pepper.
3 green onions
1 c. fresh breadcrumbs, divided ( we used Brown Rice by Hol-Grain)
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. cilantro or parsley
1-2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (optional)
3 Tb. vegetable oil, divided

Directions:
1. Please read direction # 1 in the Mango Salsa Weekend for instructions on prepping peppers, the onions,  and cilantro or parsley in the Marinade Express. If prepping the vegetables only for this recipe, you can do them all together, with the pepper and green onions on one side of the divider ribs and the herbs on the other.

After prepping the vegetables in the Marinade Express, pat them dry and finely chop them, keeping the cilantro or parsley separate from the red pepper and onions.

2. Heat 1 Tb. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook pepper and onions 3 minutes, until slightly softened.Transfer them to a large bowl.

3. Select a MX Marinade (see suggestions below) and prep the crab meat in the Marinade Express, using a mesh lingerie bag dedicated for kitchen use if desired. Do only 2 to 3 rotations, then let the crab rest atop the dividers, out of the liquid, for 10 minutes.

MX Marinades especially tasty for this recipe include Chipolte Lime, Cajun, Garlic Butter, or Garlic & Herb. You may want to use less or no Old Bay seasoning if you use a flavored MX mix. Or use the unflavored Express MX Marinade.

4. Open the drum and carefully remove the crab, then dump out the water.(Use a colander if you are worried about losing any of the crab meat.)

5. To the bowl of sauteed pepper and onion, add 2 Tb. breadcrumbs, the chopped cilantro or parsley,
and the remaining ingredients except crab and oil. Mix well. Gently blend in crab and form into 12 patties.

6. Place the patties on a baking sheet and sprinkle with half the remaining breadcrumbs. Turn patties over and sprinkle with the rest of the breadcrumbs.

7. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before cooking.

8. Heat remaining oil and saute 4 patties at a time, 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Keep cooked crab cakes warm in the oven as you saute the remainder.

9. Serve immediately, accompanied by Mango Salsa, alone, or with any sauce of your choice.