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Crab cakes with Courchamps sauce

Preparation time
1-2 hours

Cooking time
less than 10 mins

Serves
Serves 2

By Jane Baxter
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the crab cakes

  • 100g/3½oz ricotta
  • 1 free-range egg
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 200g/7oz picked white crabmeat
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
  • 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 lemon, zest only
  • pinch white pepper
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • pinch ground fennel seeds
  • 25g/1oz soft breadcrumbs
  • 100g/3½oz panko breadcrumbs, to coat
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • salt, to taste

For the Courchamps sauce

  • 200g/7oz picked brown crabmeat
  • 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh tarragon
  • 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp aniseed-flavoured liqueur
  • ½ lemon, juice only
  • 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

  • ½ head of fennel, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • ½ apple, cored, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 4 radishes, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 4 spring onions, thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

  1. To make the crab cakes, whisk the ricotta with the egg in a bowl until smooth. Add the garlic and fold through the white crabmeat. Stir in the chives, Parmesan, lemon zest, peppers and ground fennel. Season with salt and stir in the soft breadcrumbs. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

  2. Shape the crab mixture into 4–6 small cakes and coat with the panko breadcrumbs. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the crab cakes for a few minutes on either side until golden brown, crisp and cooked through.

  3. To make the Courchamps sauce, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend together until combined but not totally smooth. Season well with salt and pepper.

  4. To make the salad, place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss with the oil and lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.

  5. Serve the crab cakes with the Courchamps sauce and salad on the side.

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