Recipe: Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli

Every Thursday on the Good Food Blog we share a recipe from our archives. This recipe for Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli from the Mendo Bistro in Mendocino, CA was first shared with us on March 1, 2003 by Russ Parsons of the LA Times.

Keep reading for the full recipe…

Crab Cakes

1 1/2 pounds Dungeness crab meat

3/4 cup Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs, plus additional for outer coating

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 – 3/4 cup tarragon aioli (recipe follows)

Oil for sauteeing

Combine crab, bread crumbs and green onions. Add 1/2 cup aioli and test mixture to see how well it holds together. If needed add additional aioli. Do not overwork ingredients. Cakes should be loose and just barely hold together.

Form into cakes about 3″ in diameter, and place one side in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in medium saute pan over medium high heat until just smoking and place cakes, bread crumb side down in pan. Saute until golden and carefully turn over.

Lower heat to medium and saute until heated through. Serve on cabbage salad and top with additional aioli.

Tarragon Aioli

2 egg yolks

3 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp salt

1 dash Tabasco sauce

1/4 cup very hot water

2 cups olive oil

1/2 bunch tarragon, finely chopped

In food processor, or blender, place all ingredients up to Tabasco and run machine. Pour in hot water and process for 15 seconds. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil until a mayonnaise consistency is reached. Stir in chopped tarragon.