Crab Cakes with Fresh Basil and Thyme

From The Mariner's Menu Cookbook and North Carolina Sea Grant

Mains

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Ingredients

1 pound backfin crabmeat

3 tablespoons butter

¼ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup celery, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

1 egg, beaten

1 cup French bread crumbs

1 cup dry French bread crumbs for coating

Oil for frying

Remove any shell or cartilage from crabmeat. Place meat in a medium bowl.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Sauté onion and celery until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in basil, thyme, cayenne, salt and Tabasco.
Blend in mayonnaise, egg and bread crumbs. Gently blend into crabmeat, being careful not to break the meat apart.
Shape into 6 or 8 patties. Dredge lightly in the remaining 1 cup crumbs.
Fry crab cakes in 3 tablespoons of oil at 350 degrees for about 4 minutes or until golden brown per side. Drain on paper towels.
The golden crust on these cakes covers a succulent filling of backfin crabmeat gently blended with traditional ingredients. A classic choice.