These crab cakes are amazingly tender and moist because of the generous proportion of meat. The restaurant uses a combination of claw and backfin meat from Atlantic blue crabs.
Ingredients
Makes 6 main-course servings
Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2
Cook scallion, bell pepper, and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute, then whisk in flour and cook roux, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add cream and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 2 minutes. (Mixture will be thick.) Remove from heat and whisk 1 minute, then whisk in yolk, basil, mustard, chile sauce, lemon juice, and salt and chill, uncovered, until cooled, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
While sauce is cooling, line a tray with wax paper and butter a shallow baking pan. Pulse bread, chives, parsley, and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped and transfer mixture to a plate.
Step 4
Stir crabmeat into sauce and form into 12 (3-inch) patties, arranging them on tray.
Step 5
Gently coat each crab cake with crumb mixture and place in baking pan. Drizzle with remaining melted butter and bake until golden and hot, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Reviews (24)
Back to TopI've been making these for years. They are a hit. I use a fourth of the butter. I chill the mixture with the crab meat mixed in. Follow the recipe to the T other than that. To other's who have had trouble with the butter and/or cream separating.... lower the heat and stir. Those ingredients separate when overheated.
claudeane
Tampa, Fl
12/25/2018
These worked. Not the best crab cakes though. The cream and sriracha really blanket the crab and they end up pretty heavy. I'm looking for a much fresher, flavourful crab cake. On to the next!
andy_andersen
Hamilton ON
6/14/2018
我从来没做螃蟹蛋糕和这些都是惊人的. i did add more scallion and more chopped garlic. i took other reviewers advice and refrigerated these for 1 hour and i had no problem with them falling apart. i also ended up pan frying them and then baking for 15 minutes (i made them thicker than the recipe). the béchamel/rue was a little strange. not sure if i used too big a pan or over cooked. it was more of a solid than a sauce but i used it anyway and it was fine, once mixed in. overall a great recipe.
lizalyn1
vermont
8/18/2015
My husband loves crab cakes and thought these were the best he ever had. I did pan fry them first for a bit of color and then just a few minutes in the oven. Served them on a small bed of curly endive and with some plantain chips. Will make again.
CharleneB
Indianapolis, IN
10/23/2014
These crab cakes had great flavor but needed another egg yolk or two to help them stick together. I also would suggest pan frying them first before putting them in the oven as we couldn't get any color on them with the melted butter/baking method.
njchicaa
NJ
12/31/2010
I used Panko crumbs rather than the bread since they are more crunchy and rather than baking, I sauteed in olive oil. Served with a cajun remaoulade sauce and fresh grilled corn with lima beans.
pamolive
Virginia Beach, VA
8/1/2010
Oops--forgot to add: serve it with sriracha aioli!
missspent
Cincinnati
6/2/2010
Fantastic! I've made crab cakes only once before and had problems keeping them together in the skillet. Not this recipe. The "sauce" really helps keep them from crumbling apart. My sauce broke too, but my fiance (who knows a lot more about cooking than I do) explained that once you add the cream, you shouldn't try to bring to a boil b/c too-high temps will destroy your sauce. I almost went with the cheap-o crab, but sprung for the premium lump jumbo crab--and it was worth every penny! I'll make this recipe again and again!
missspent
Cincinnati
6/2/2010
yum, this is a great recipe. i used much less butter over the top and it still worked nicely. i also had to use rice flour to create the roux (due to gluten intolerance) and although its consistency was odd at first, once the egg, mustard and other ingredients were added it sorted itself out nicely.
Anonymous
denver, co
3/8/2010
These were good and easy. I only used one kind of crabmeat which worked fine.No sauce necessary.
RDunn2
Ft. Lauderdale
2/27/2010
Made these as appetizers and they were the rave of the party. Only changes were that I made them smaller and fried them in a splash of safflower oil.
Timbo1618
San Francisco,CA
12/28/2009
These are the best crab cakes I have had--anywhere. Anytime I eat out and order crab cakes, they never measure up to "my" (and by my I mean Epicurious's) recipe. I followed the recipe exactly and used Panko breadcrumbs on the outside for added crunch. Bravo!!
nkgreco
Conshohocken, PA
7/16/2009
I've made this for the last three year's for our New Year's party. EVERYONE LOVES THEM!!! I wouldn't add breadcrumbs... if you put them in the refrigerator for about an hour the mixture firms up a bit... making the the crab cakes easier to form. I never had a problem with my butter or cream separating... and I'm not the best cook, so I'm not sure what other reviewers did wrong. If I want them crispier I put them under the broiler briefly. They're really wonderful!
Anonymous
Pittsburgh, PA
1/2/2007
i don't know what happened but the butter seperated. had to stop and try another recipe, was not going to waste all that wonderful crab. glad i did because the recipe i went with yielded some amazing crab cakes
bernahole
san francisco
12/27/2005
For the previous reader - try coating with panko (Japanese bread crumbs) for a crunchier crust.
hollison
9/11/2005
