Alaskan King Crab Co. Crab Cakes

Out with the Old Bay…Try a new twist on crab cakes starring our colossal king crab, sweet corn kernels, and Auntie Nono’s Seafood Seasoning. Whisk together a citrus aioli for drizzling and enjoy some of your favorite summer flavors—anytime, anywhere!

Makes about 6 to 8 crab cakes

Time: 25 minutes prep, 30 minutes chilling, 20 minutes cooking, 1 hour 15 minutes total

INGREDIENTS

For the crab cakes

• 2 pounds of Extra Large Red King Crab Legs, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels—fresh, canned, or frozen (thawed)—drained well
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Auntie Nono’s Seafood Seasoning
• 1 cup bread crumbs (Panko or regular), more or less
• All purpose flour for dredging
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

For the citrus tartar sauce

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Mr. Stick's Original Seafood Seasoning, more or less to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

For the seafood aioli

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Auntie Nono's Seafood Seasoning, more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the tartar sauce – In a small bowl, stir together mayo, lemon juice, Mr. Stick’s Original Seafood Seasoning, pickle relish, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning/citrus level to your liking. Cover and place in fridge. (Feel free to make this a day or two ahead.)
2. Make the seafood aioli – In another small bowl, stir together mayo, lime juice and Auntie Nono's Seafood Seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning/citrus level to your liking. Cover and place in fridge. (Feel free to make this a day or two ahead.)
3. Prep the crab – Cut crab legs open using your AKC Stainless Steel Kitchen Shears. Remove meat and roughly chop. Set aside.
4. Mix the crab cakes—In a medium bowl, beat egg vigorously with a whisk. Add drained corn, crab meat, mayonnaise, and Auntie Nono’s Seafood Seasoning, then mix gently with hands until well combined. (Try not to break up the lumps of crab meat.) Add in just enough bread crumbs so that cakes hold together, less is more here.
5. Shape the crab cakes—Divide crab mixture to make 6 to 8 evenly sized balls (roughly 1/2 cup each). Flatten to form patties. Refrigerate covered for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
6. Prepare to cook—Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
7. Cook the crab cakes—Lightly dredge patties in flour on both sides and transfer to skillet, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until underside is nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until brown on both sides, another 4 minutes or so. Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and repeat with remaining patties.
8. Garnish and serve—Add a sprinkling of sea salt to the top of each crab cake. Drizzle with aioli and serve with tartar sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish serving plate with sprigs of fresh parsley or cilantro, along with lime or lemon wedges.

TIPS

• Chill Out! Freshly made crab cakes tend to fall apart while cooking. Be sure to give them time to firm up in the fridge before pan frying.
• Inside Scoop—To ensure equal sizes and an even cook, dip up portions of crab cake mixture using an ice cream scoop, then gently shape into patties.