Here we go again:  Another year past.   Time sure flies when you’re having fun and hopefully everyone had a fun year?  Ours was filled with a lot of good times, a few tears, lots of laughs, and memorable moments.  Friends and family played and will continue to play a big role in our adventures.

Here’s to you and yours!

Champagne toast

Whether hosting a party or bringing something to share to a party, the following recipe will delight guests.  If there is no party on the horizon, then look at the following recipe for a delicious meal fit for the family any day of the week.  Don’t forget the wasabi sauce!

Baked Crab Cakes with Wasabi Aioli

These crab cakes are like no other you’ve had before. We use a light fish mousse and sofrito to lighten up the cake while introducing a depth of flavor Chef Pollinger of Oceana says won’t “hit you over the head”, it just tastes great.

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Serves 6 *I adjusted the recipe slightly. For the exact recipe, go to Chef Pollinger’s book School of Fish on page 321.

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  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • ½ medium onion
  • 2 TBS minced garlic
  • 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
  • 1 lb. lump crabmeat
  • Fine sea salt and black ground pepper
  • 1 ¼ cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 skinless fillet of white fish such as flounder, cod, etc.
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 TBS fresh minced chives
  • Canola oil

The Wasabi Aioli

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 TBS wasabi paste

The Crab Cakes

Over medium heat and in a saucepan, add the olive oil. When warm, add onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook about 12 – 15 minutes or until paste like. Don’t burn. Remove sofrito to a baking dish and spread out to cool.

In a bowl, season the crabmeat with salt and pepper and allow to rest for 5 minutes for flavor to develop.

Line a baking sheet with panko crumbs and set aside.

In a food processor, add the fish fillet and egg yolk. Pulse until blended. Remove to a medium bowl and add the cooled sofrito, lemon zest, juice, parsley and chives. Stir until mixed. Fold into the crab meat.

Form crab mixture into 6 cakes about 4” round and 1” thick. Press gently onto the panko crumbs, both sides and remove to a baking dish. Refrigerate 1 hour to firm up.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat bottom of foil lined baking sheet with canola oil. Place cakes on baking sheet and bake for 20 – 22 minutes.

Wasabi Aioli

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Blend mayonnaise, lime zest, juice and wasabi until smooth.

Serve crab cakes over puree of sweet potato with zucchini strips and wasabi aioli.

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What are your plans for 2015?  Anything on the proverbial “bucket list”?  I just want to make it through the winter feeling fit and healthy then run 3 spring marathons and 2 in the fall.  Of course I have a time goal to reach in the new year but as long as I am able to continue to run, for that I’ll be grateful.

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