MINIATURE CRAB CAKES WITH MOJITO MAYONAISE

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh crabmeat
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco, Louisiana Hot Sauce or Asian Chili Sauce)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of paprika
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
• 2 cups dry unseasoned bread crumbs or panko

In a bowl, mix the crab, bread crumbs, egg, green onion, hot sauce, mayonnaise, cream cheese, mustard, paprika, salt and parsley. Using a tablespoon, form a crab cake about 1” in diameter. Place the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Coat both sides of crab cake with breadcrumbs or panko and place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable or olive oil spray. (Can be done hours ahead and then refrigerated until ready to bake.)

Preheat the oven to 375o. Bake crabcakes for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy on outside. Serve warm or room temperature with a dollop of Mojito Mayonnaise on top. Makes about 24 mini crab cakes or 12 larger cakes.


Mojito Mayonnaise

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• ¼ cup finely minced fresh mint leaves
• Finely grated zest of 1 large lime
• Juice of 1 large lime
• ½ jalapeno pepper, cored and finely minced
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about 1 cup. (Can be made a day or two ahead.)