Dungeness Crab Cakes with Summer Corn

Buttery New England-style crab cakes turn Washington Dungeness crab and peak-July sweet corn into an elegant summer dinner for two.

Ingredients

  • Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab
    2 lb $9.99
  • Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob-Each
    2 ears $0.99
  • Jumbo Yellow Onion
    1/2 cup finely diced $0.99
  • Fresh Red Hothouse Bell Pepper
    1 pepper, diced $1.67
  • Simple Truth Organic® Fresh Lemons Bag
    1 lemon $5.99
  • Parsley
    2 tablespoons chopped $1.29
  • large egg
    1
  • mayonnaise
    6 tablespoons
  • Dijon mustard
    2 teaspoons
  • panko breadcrumbs
    3/4 cup
  • Old Bay seasoning
    1 teaspoon
  • kosher salt
    1/2 teaspoon
  • black pepper
    1/4 teaspoon
  • unsalted butter
    3 tablespoons
  • neutral cooking oil
    1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Pick the meat from 2 pounds Whole Cooked Dungeness Crab, checking carefully for shell. Finely dice 1/2 cup yellow onion, dice 1 red bell pepper, cut the kernels from 2 ears sweet corn, and chop 2 tablespoons parsley. Zest and juice 1/2 lemon, then cut the other 1/2 lemon into 2 wedges.
  2. Whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon lemon juice; refrigerate the lemon-Dijon sauce until serving.
  3. Gently combine the picked meat from 2 pounds Dungeness crab with 1 large egg, 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1/4 cup diced yellow onion, and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Form 4 cakes about 1/2 inch thick.
  4. Coat the 4 crab cakes with 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the crumbs adhere, then refrigerate the 4 crab cakes for 10 minutes.
  5. While the 4 crab cakes chill, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the kernels from 2 ears sweet corn, 1 diced red bell pepper, and 1/4 cup diced yellow onion with 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally; transfer the corn mixture to a covered bowl.
  6. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the 4 chilled crab cakes for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the centers reach 165°F, then rest the 4 crab cakes for 2 minutes.
  7. Divide the corn mixture between 2 warm plates and top each serving with 2 crab cakes. Spoon the lemon-Dijon sauce evenly over the 2 servings, then garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 1 lemon wedge per plate.

Total time: 50 minutes

Estimated cost: $30–$34 total for 2 servings

Health notes: About 820 calories per serving with roughly 32 grams of protein; this celebratory meal is rich in healthy seafood protein but higher in fat from mayonnaise and butter.

Drink pairing: A lightly oaked Chardonnay complements the sweet crab, buttery crust, and fresh corn.