Crab Cakes, Potato Salad, Tartare Sauce

Introduction

After my grandfather tried these crab cakes, he praised them all the way to my aunt’s house, where he lives. When I heard, I knew the recipe was a keeper—what people say behind your back counts more than to your face. Who’d think a salt-cod fritter loyalist would prefer a plump American-style spider-crab cake?

Instructions

For the mayonnaise:

1. In a tall narrow jar, add the egg, mustard and lemon juice. Stand the stick blender on the bottom and pour the oil on top.

2. Without moving the blender head, blitz until the base emulsifies and thickens. Slowly raise and lower the blender to incorporate the oil in stages.

3. When thick and creamy, season with salt and pepper. Chill.

For the crab cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. If using live crabs, freeze 1 hour.

2. Take the frozen crabs shell side down. Lift the triangular flap near the tail to expose a small hole.

3. With a pointed screwdriver, pierce and twist inside to sever the nerve.

4. Bring salted water to the boil in a pot.

5. Boil the crabs 8 minutes, then plunge into iced water. Skip boiling if already cooked.

6. Open the body, pull forward the front flap and discard the grey gills; keep white and grey meat and orange roe.

7. Crack the claws with a mallet or the back of a knife; pick white meat, discarding cartilage.

8. Combine all picked meat in a bowl, feeling with your hands for any shell.

9. In another bowl, mix mayonnaise, ½ cup panko, 1 egg, hot sauce, fleur de sel, pepper and Worcestershire.

10. Fold in the crab without overmixing; add chopped chives.

11. Shape tall patties, chill 20 minutes to firm.

12. Beat 2 eggs in one dish; put 1 cup panko in another.

13. Coat each cake in egg then panko on both sides.

14. Clarify butter: microwave until melted and a white foam forms on top.

15. Skim and discard the foam.

16. Pour off the clear fat, stopping before milk solids transfer.

17. Heat the clarified butter in a frying pan.

18. Fry the cakes until golden on both sides, basting with butter, about 5 minutes.

19. Transfer to a baking dish and bake 7–8 minutes more.

For the tartare sauce:

1. Chop parsley finely. Mix with diced gherkins, capers, diced red onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, hot sauce and finely chopped garlic.

For the potato salad:

1. Halve the potatoes.

2. Simmer in salted water until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes on medium-low after boiling.

3. Drain and, while warm, fold into the tartare sauce.

4. Crush some potatoes lightly with your hands, adjust salt and scatter dill.

For the rocket salad:

1. Toss washed rocket with fleur de sel, olive oil and vinegar.

To serve:

1. Spread a layer of potato salad on the plate.

2. Top with a crab cake.

3. Crown with a little rocket salad.