crab cakes with avocado-wasabi

I don’t post about it a lot, but seafood is actually a staple part of our diet. The only reason I haven’t featured more of it is that I can’t cook a good looking piece of fish to save my life. I can make it taste good, but I’ve either poked the holy heck out of it or it comes off the pan broken… and I just can’t get seem to get a picturesque sear when it counts.

But crabcakes covered in panko and baked (my preferred foolproof method so they won’t fall apart), I can do. Now, this flavor combo could also be applied to chickpea cakes, but this time these are the real thing. Not krab with a K, and not a veggie “crab” quotation-marked-version. They’re made with fresh Louisiana crab that I couldn’t pass up at the market the other day.

What I love about making crab cakes at home is that they taste just as good as they do in a restaurant except without the frying and the butter. They taste like a splurge, but they aren’t. This asian(esque) version made with coconut milk adds a sweet rich flavor and no mayo is required.

This sauce, on a whim, turned out to be a total winner… I had half of an avocado and an opened package of silken tofu that needed using up so I made this creamy wasabi sauce. Later I thinned it with a bit of water and used it as a creamy vegan salad dressing.

makes about 6 two to three-inch crab cakes (enough for 2 people with a salad or another light side dish).

adapted from marthastewart.com

CRABCAKES:
4-5 ounces lump crabmeat
1 small shallot, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey
1 egg white, beaten
3 tablespoons regular coconut milk (not light), or more if needed
1/2 lime, juice and zest
1/4 cup panko, plus more to shape cakes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
pinches of salt and pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (optional)

method:
Gently mix together all ingredients. Form into patties. Coat with extra panko on all sides.

I baked mine in a 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, and I turned on the broiler for the last 1-2 minutes. You can flip halfway through, but I forgot to, and it worked out just fine.

You could also pan fry them in a skillet.

AVOCADO WASABI SAUCE:
the leftovers can become a salad dressing, sandwich spread, veggie dip, etc…

1/4 cup silken tofu
1/2 an avocado
juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lemon (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
pinches of salt & pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon onion powder (or 1 tablespoon minced onion – both optional)
1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste, (or to taste depending on your spice preference)

method:
In a food processor, blend all ingredients together. Chill until you’re ready to serve.

10 comments

They look beautiful and must be so delicious with that sauce! I love wasabi.

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Great recipe! I can’t wait to try it out – just need to find some gluten-free panko crumbs and this meal is allergen-free (well, minus the shellfish). Beautiful, as always.

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I’ve tried something similar to this with salmon but forgot all about how much I liked it! Thanks for the reminder about how good fare from the sea pares with panko and spices. Yum!

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That looks delish!

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Scream my name with those ingredients why don’t you! I come from Maryland, home of the crabcake, and this asian/fusion twist sounds like the perfect refresher from the traditional crab cake. I can’t wait to test it out on my crab-loving friends and family next time I go home!

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I’m loving the addition of coconut milk to this! I would of never thunk it! Seafood can definitely be tricky to take pictures of. And you always risk a “cake” of any kind to crumble into a heaping mess in transport. I think the panko crumb coating definitely helped keep these looking pristine and flawless though. They look stunning!