Best Crab Cake Recipe from Liz Long

Tasty Crab Cakes

These tasty crab cakes from Liz  Long make great finger food for a party, or could form a meal if accompanied by a salad. Serve with wedges of lime – or for something more elaborate, you can make a mayonnaise with chilli and coriander.

Makes 15 crab cakes - Cooking and preparation time: 90 minutes

I N G R E D I E N T S

250 g skinless white fish fillet
sea salt
250 g potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
1 garlic clove, crushed
grated zest of 3 lemons
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
500 g freshly picked crabmeat
1/2 bunch Vietnamese mint, finely chopped
1/2 bunch coriander, finely chopped
4 eggs
breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for deep-frying
lime wedges to serve

AROMATIC MILK

500 ml milk
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1/2 celery stalk, finely diced
1/2 onion or leek, finely diced
1/2 lemongrass stalk, bruised
1 garlic clove, bruised
2.5 cm piece of ginger, bruised
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme

M E T H O D

1. Season the fish with salt all over and set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until soft. Drain well, then transfer to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Leave to cool.

3. Make the aromatic milk by bringing the milk and other ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the fish. Leave the fish in the milk for around 8 minutes, until just cooked through (check by inserting the tip of a small knife into the thickest part of the fish to see that the flesh is no longer translucent). Remove the fish from the milk and leave to cool.

4. Stir the garlic, lime zest and chilli into the cooled mashed potato. Flake the fish on top, removing any bones, and add the crabmeat and herbs. Stir well and add salt to taste.

5. Put some plain flour in a bowl. Add the eggs to another bowl and beat well with a fork. Put some breadcrumbs in a third bowl.

6. Use your hands to shape the fish and potato mixture into small torpedoes (otherwise known as croquettes). As you finish shaping each one, roll it in flour, dip it in egg, then roll it in breadcrumbs, and set aside on a plate as you continue making croquettes with the rest of the mixture.

7. Pour vegetable oil into a large saucepan to one-third full and place over medium–high heat. Heat to 180°C (if you don’t have a thermometer, test the temperature by dropping in a small cube of bread – it should start frying rapidly). Fry the crab cakes in batches for around 3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

8. Serve the hot crab cakes with lime wedges.

About Elizabeth Long
Having been in the industry for over 25 years, Liz’s knowledge of hospitality and catering is unparalleled. She nurtured her enthusiasm and developed her skills at London’s  Cordon Bleu, then at  The Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School. In 2011 Liz was awarded the school’s 20-Year Anniversary Entrepreneurship Award. In 2013 her debut cookbook, The Junior Gourmet (Five Mile Press), was awarded first place at the coveted Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in the category of ‘World’s Best Children and Family Cookbook’. Liz is a born foodie and proud of it! She strives to share her passion daily - whether she is running a culinary tour around Europe, a cooking class for kids, or delivering a catering order to a corporate client. For more, visit www.lusciousaffairs.com.au