Crab Cakes with Garlic Aioli

These Crab Cakes with Garlic Aioli are loaded with crab and sweetened with a secret ingredient, corn muffin crumbs! They’re a crowd favorite!

I spoke to my good friend Rose (the person who I credit for enticing me to start this blog) the other day and she informed me that despite the fact that my Decadent S’mores Brownie recipe looked delicious she unfortunately would not be making them anytime soon. Why you ask?? Poor Rose said she gave up chocolate for Lent! She asked if I could post a recipe that would be perfect for a Friday night dinner during Lent (she does not eat meat), so of course I got right on it!

The pressure was on. I really didn’t have to think hard though because one recipe immediately came to mind. I knew it had to be my “famous” Crab Cakes with Garlic Aioli.

Well, between you and me I use the term “famous” loosely, but I will say among my group of dinner guests at the beach during the summer this recipe is highly requested! I have made these crab cakes to serve as a main dish with a side of potatoes and homemade coleslaw, as an appetizer and as a sandwich on a nice fluffy brioche roll. If you are feeling ambitious you can even use the brioche roll recipe posted earlier on the blog, or if you happen to be in Philly you can stop by Baker Street Bread Company where you can pick up some delicious brioche rolls whipped up by my good friends at the baker’s table headed by Alberto the head baker. They are light and fluffy and they even make them in crab cake size!

My “famous” crab cakes are far from ordinary.  Mine have lots of jumbo lump crabmeat, fresh basil, red pepper, red onion and to make them a tad bit sweet instead of bread crumbs my secret is to add corn muffin crumbs.  The taste of the corn muffin really makes these cakes different. I think when you try these you’ll understand why they’ve become “famous”!

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Crab Cakes with Garlic Aioli

Course: 1 hour 20 minutes (includes chilling time)

Servings: 4 -5 crab cakes

Author: Mary Ann Dwyer

Ingredients

• 16 oz. jumbo lump crabmeat
• I large corn muffin crumbled (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup red pepper finely chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped basil fresh
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
• Garlic Aioli:
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3-4 cloves garlic minced
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

Instructions

1. Place crabmeat in colander to drain excess water.
2. In large bowl combine corn muffin crumbs, mayo, mustard, egg, red pepper, red onion, basil, salt and pepper. Gently fold in crabmeat. Shape mixture into 4 to 5 crab cakes or whatever size you like. Chill crab cakes for 1 hour.
3. Heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil or butter in medium skillet. Saute the crab cakes over medium high heat for 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Do not turn the crab cakes before 3 minutes so a nice crust forms. Serve with garlic aioli.

4. Garlic Aioli: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and whisk together. Chill. Serve with crab cakes.