Mini Crab Cakes

Mini Crab Cakes from Bon Appetit Magazine, April 2009

I made this delightful little crab cakes not too long ago and were quite pleased with them. They are really good and super easy to make. The only thing I did differently was I used claw meat instead of lump. It is just as good and less expensive!

Makes 24 mini crab cakes

 

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 large egg

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Large pinch of cayenne pepper

6 oz fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded

1 cup panko(Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans

Fresh chives, cut into pieces

 

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add ¼ cup Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, 4 teaspoons chopped chives, coarse salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss panko, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives in small bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup, forming crust. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle rounded teaspoon of panko mixture over each (some may be left over). Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan.

Arrange crab cakes on serving platter; sprinkle with chives

Enjoy!