Mini Crab Cakes

Crab cakes often include little-to-no actual crustacean, but Food Network star Ellie Krieger's recipe lets the crab shine through by only panko-crusting the exterior.

Photo: Andreas Trauttmasdorff

By Ellie Krieger

Serves: 6
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lb crab claw meat, picked over
• 1 tsp lime zest, finely grated
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten to mix
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
• 3 tbsp organic olive oil mayonnaise, divided (or try our homemade Clean Eating Olive Oil Mayo)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce, such as Sriracha, plus more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add scallions, green pepper and jalapeño and cook until peppers soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine pepper-scallion mixture with crab, zest, lime juice, chopped cilantro, egg, 1/2 cup panko, 1 tbsp mayonnaise and salt.
4. Put remaining 1/2 cup panko on a plate. Form a crab cake using about 1 1/2 tbsp crab mixture, then gently roll it in panko and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining crab mixture. Mist tops of crab cakes with cooking spray to coat lightly.
5. Bake crab cakes until they are golden brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Gently turn them over and cook for 10 minutes on the other side.
6. Make Spicy Cream: In a small bowl, stir yogurt with remaining 2 tbsp mayonnaise and chili-garlic sauce.
7. To serve, top each crab cake with about 1/2 tsp spicy cream and additional cilantro or herbs of your choice.

Nutrients per 3 crab cakes with 1/2 oz spicy cream: Calories: 290, Total Fat: 18 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 29 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 24 g, Sodium: 570 mg, Cholesterol: 55 mg

Nutrients per 3 crab cakes with 1/2 oz spicy cream: Calories: 290, Total Fat: 18 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 29 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 2 g, Protein: 24 g, Sodium: 570 mg, Cholesterol: 55 m
g