CRAB CAKES AND BABY GREENS WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Feeling crabby? Make crab cakes. This is a great dish to serve when the weather is warm and you feel like a salad but need a little umph in your greens.

Fresh crab meat would be the best but I found a pretty good canned crab at Trader Joes. Be sure to pick through it for shell shards. I found a few.

The cakes will feel  watery, but after spending some time in the refrigerator they will firm up.

               CRAB CAKES AND BABY GREENS WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Make 10 first course servings

3/4 cup Panko crumbs

1 pound fresh crabmeat, drained well, picked over

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 TBSP. fresh chives

1 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP. dijon mustard

¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce

1 large egg, beaten to blend

¼ cup vegetable oil

12 cups mixed baby greens

Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe)

Additional chopped fresh chives

Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Place 1/2 cup breadcrumbs in shallow dish.

Mix crabmeat, mayonnaise, 3 TBSP. chives, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, hot pepper sauce and remaining 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in medium bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in egg. Using 2 TBSP. for each, form crab mixture into twenty 1 1/2 inch diameter cakes. Coat crab cakes with breadcrumbs in dish, pressing breadcrumbs to adhere. Transfer crab cakes to prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over med. heat. Working in batches, add crab cakes to skillet and cook until golden brown and heated through, about 2 minutes.

                                                      LEMON VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup olive oil

3 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

1 TBSP. minced shallot

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1/2 tsp. sugar

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made one day ahead. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Makes about 1/4 cup

I served this as the main course and made my patties about 3" in diameter. There were about 6 leftover and they were really good the next day.