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Crab Cakes With Pasilla Chili Aioli

 

Ingredients

1/2 lb shelled cooked crab
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup minced celery
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
salt
pepper
cayenne
2 white bread slices
1 tablespoon salad oil
1 fresh cilantro sprigs

 

----PASILLA CHILI AIOLI----

1 large dried pasilla chili
1 can sliced pimientos (4 oz)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chopped garlic clove
3 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt
pepper

 

1. Mix crab, mayonnaise, carrots, celery, and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper and cayenne to taste.

 

2. Tear bread into chunks; whirl in a blender or food processor until crumbs form; mound crumbs on a plate. Drop 1/4-cup portions crab mixture into crumbs, and sprinkle crumbs over top; pat into 1/2"-thick cakes.

 

3. Place a 10-12" nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Lightly coat pan with oil and cook cakes, using a wide spatula to turn once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total.

 

4. Place cakes on salad plates; keep warm. Garnish with cilantro. Add aioli to taste.

 

 

---PASILLA CHILI AIOLI---

 

1. Remove and discard stems and seeds from dried pasilla; rinse chili. With scissors, cut the chili in 1/2" pieces.

 

2. Drain pimientos; pat dry.

 

3. In a 10-12" frying pan combine olive oil, chili, pimientos and garlic. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice. Stir over high heat until most of the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

 

4. Whirl mixture in a blender or food processor with mayonnaise until smoothly pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Makes 1/2 cup.

 

 

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