1/2 cup mayonnaise, Hellmann’s preferred
1 egg white
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbs. sliced chives
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. jumbo lump blue crab meat, gently picked carefully for shell
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 Tbs. bread crumbs made in a food processor from crustless white bread
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. grapeseed oil
For the sauce:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
18 small local shrimp, peeled, and deveined
10 red pear tomatoes, cut in half
10 yellow pear tomatoes, cut in half
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
Juice of 2 limes
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine the mayonnaise, egg white, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, and thyme leaves in a large bowl and mix together. Gently fold in the crab meat. Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. Form into six patties and dust them with bread crumbs.
Put the butter and grapeseed oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Heat them over medium-high heat until the butter melts, stir, and continue to heat until they shimmer. Working in batches if necessary, add the crab cakes and sear each side for about two minutes until golden brown. Remove to a rimmed baking sheet and place the crab cakes in the oven until warmed through, about seven minutes.
For the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and then add the shrimp. Let the mixture cook for about two minutes, turning the shrimp over when they turn pink. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through for about another two minutes. Serve warm over the crab cakes.
Chef’s Notes: “We make it a point to not overseason the crab. We let the crab be crab! That’s why people love it: it’s all crab and no cake.”
Plus tips on hosting a traditional crab crack
