easy-breezy crab cakes

Before we get to today’s recipe… Yes, I’m actually posting a recipe today… I want to wish each and every one of you (lucky enough to be born Irish, or not) a safe, healthy, and very Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

The recipe comes courtesy of Barbara Fenzl and Les Gourmettes Cooking School. Barb made these easy and delicious morsels in her classes this session. They are THE perfect easy-breezy appetizers for carefree entertaining!

The crabmeat mixture can be made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. As can the panko coating – if you wait to drizzle on the melted butter until just before assembling the crab cakes.  Additionally, you can bake the crab cakes an hour ahead, then remove them from muffin cups and place them on a baking sheet and leave them at room temperature, and rewarm them in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Voilà – the easiest crab cakes you’ve ever made!

Do-Ahead Mini Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4  cup sour cream
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon minced chives
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over and patted dry
Coating
1 cup panko
2 tablespoon minced chives
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat two non-stick mini-muffin pans with Pam.

Crab Cakes:  In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat cream cheese, Parmesan, and egg until well blended.  Beat in sour cream, the citrus zests, chives, salt, and cayenne pepper.  Fold in crabmeat.

Coating:  In a medium bowl, mix together the panko, chives, and Parmesan cheese.  Drizzle the melted butter over, tossing with a fork until evenly moistened.

Press about 1 tablespoon of the panko mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup.

Spoon a generous tablespoon of the crab mixture into each cup.

Sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of the panko mixture over each.

Bake the crab cakes in the preheated oven until golden on top and set in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes.  Run a table knife around each cake and gently lift it out of the pans.  Serve hot.

Makes 24