When your guests ask what is the fresh flavour in your crab cakes you can easily answer “Grapefruit rind”. It truly adds a hint of freshness to these light and moist crab cakes. The grapefruit salsa rounds out the sweetness of the crabmeat. Whether you serve them as appetizers or a first course you can be sure you will have no leftovers.
Crab Cakes:
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Half red pepper, diced
Pinch each dried tarragon leaves and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (25 mL) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
2 boxes (7 oz each) frozen snow crab meat, thawed and squeezed dry
3/4 cup (175 mL) seasoned dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated grapefruit rind
3 tbsp (45 mL) canola oil
Spring mix greens
Grapefruit Salsa:
2 Florida grapefruits, peeled and diced
2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 small clove garlic, minced
Pinch each salt and granulated sugar
Grapefruit Salsa: Combine all ingredients and set aside.
In a skillet, melt butter and cook onion, garlic, red pepper, tarragon and pepper for 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds or until absorbed. Stir in milk and cook for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in crab meat, 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the breadcrumbs, parsley and grapefruit rind until well combined. Divide mixture into 16 balls and roll each into breadcrumbs. Flatten each to about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and coat with more breadcrumbs.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and cook crab cakes, turning once for about 6 minutes or until golden on both sides. Remove to plate.
Place a few greens on platter and top with crab cakes. Spoon some of the grapefruit salsa on each one to enjoy.
Tip: To make larger crab cakes for a first course serving, divide mixture into 8 balls and coat with breadcrumbs. Place some spring greens on plates and top with 1 or 2 crab cakes each and spoon grapefruit salsa over top each to serve.