Shelly's Recipe

GRAN QUESO CRAB CAKES

Category: Fish and Seafood

For crab cakes:
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small clove garlic, finely minced
12 oz lump crabmeat
2 cups Gran Queso cheese, shredded
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp olive oil

For aioli:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery, onion, chopped bell pepper and minced garlic. Cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. In large bowl, mix crabmeat, cheese, scallions, eggs, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, the sherry vinegar, bread crumbs and cayenne pepper. Stir in sauteed vegetables. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.

For charred red pepper basil aioli:
While crab mixture is chilling, combine 2 cloves garlic, the roasted red pepper, lemon juice, basil, 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 2 tbsp olive oil in food processor bowl with metal blade. Process until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crab cakes.

Final Remove crab cakes from refrigerator and form 6 round cakes, 3inch by 1inch thick. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and thoroughly heated.