Crab Cakes

This recipe is slightly altered from Amanda Hesser's Grandmother's Crab Cake recipe. It is featured in her book "Cooking for Mr. Latte". She doesn't suggest any sauces to be served with this, as 'she likes them plain so you can taste the crab meat'. My first ever batch of crab cakes, from this recipe, were absolutely fantastic. Prep time includes sitting time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb  crabmeat
• 4 -5  ounces  white bread, grated
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  chopped fresh herbs (I use parsley, chives, and a bit of cilantro)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1  tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1  tablespoon  spicy  horseradish mustard
• 1  egg
• 1  egg yolk
•  freshly cracked pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  superfine  cracker crumb
• 1⁄2 cup  superfine  breadcrumbs
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1  lemon, cut into rings or wedges

Directions

1. Place crab meat, bread, cayenne and herbs into bowl and combine.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, egg and additional yolk.
3. Season with pepper to taste.
4. Slowly pour dressing into the crab meat mixture, using a fork to gently lift and fluff the texture.
5. Use only enough liquid to cause the mixture to just cling together; don't overwork.
6. Form into cake about 3 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch high.
7. Lay onto plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour, until firmed up.
8. To get superfine cracker crumbs and breadcrumbs, whir everything up in a food processor.
9. Before cooking, dip cakes into cracker crumbs to coat.
10. This prevents the crab meat edges from getting tough and chewy when sauteeing.
11. Heat butter in frying pan until foamy.
12. Add crab cakes, and let saute until browned on the bottom.
13. Turn them just once, and brown the other side.
14. Keep warm until all cakes have been sauteed.
15. Arrange on platter with wedges of lemon.
16. Please note that I served these on top of a bed of MEAN CHEF's Texas Caviar from the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Restaurant (#27742).
17. the flavors melded together perfectly, although you may want to make sure to not go overboard on the jalapenos, so as not to overwhelm the crabcake.