Nora Pouillon's Crab and Shiitake Cakes

Photo: Koji Hayashi

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Recipe courtesy of Nora Pouillon.

All the ingredients should be certified organic and sustainable.

SERVINGS
4

INGREDIENTS
For the Tomato Ginger Sauce:
1 TBSP sunflower oil
2 TBSP chopped shallots
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped or 15oz can chopped tomatoes
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped or grated
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the Crab and Shiitake Cakes:
4 TBSP sunflower oil
2 TBSP shallots, minced
1 TBSP garlic, minced
3 ribs celery, washed and chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and minced
1 small red or yellow pepper, seeded and chopped finely
1/2 pound shiitakes, washed, stemmed and sliced thinly
2 eggs, beaten or 4 egg whites, beaten
4 TBSP minced cilantro
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through and cartilage removed fresh ground black pepper
salt or soy sauce to taste

PREPARATION
For the sauce:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the shallots and garlic and sauté until soft, stirring from time to time, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and ginger, stir, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat. Cool slightly and purée in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt or soy sauce and pepper.

For the cakes:
1. Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the celery and carrot, lower the heat and cook until softened for another 2 minutes. Add the peppers and the shiitakes, stir and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in refrigerator.

2. Preheat the broiler.

3. Combine the sautéed vegetables with the eggs, cilantro, and crabmeat being careful not to break up the lumps of crabmeat too much. Season to taste with pepper and salt.

4. Form that crabmeat mixture into 4 crab cakes or 8 small crab cakes. They will be very soft and delicate. If you have time, keep them in the refrigerator until they are firm. Put the crab cakes on a sheet pan. Broil them, on one side only, for 3 to 4 minutes or until nicely browned. Do not turn them, as they are too delicate.

Serve with tomato-ginger sauce, steamed snow-peas and bok choy or spinach.

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