This recipe came to us by way of Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery. He believes beer and wine should always be served with food. And beer, he contends, is often the better choice.
”The most wonderful thing about beer is that it has that ability to ‘reset’ your palate,” Mr. Oliver said. “Take cassoulet, for example: Rustic southern French reds are good, but French beer is a much better choice. Cassoulet can be like cement, but beer busts it up and makes it seem so much lighter.”
With these crab cakes, Mr. Oliver, an excellent cook who is widely-known for his successful beer-and-wine pairings, recommends an India pale ale. The bitterness of the hops plays nicely with the spiciness of the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
- Small handful of cilantro, with stems
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored
- ½ pound lump crab meat
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt
- Juice of 1 big lemon
- 1 ½ cups bread crumbs, preferably Japanese panko
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, or as needed
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
383 calories; 17 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 102 milligrams cholesterol; 659 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
2 large or 4 small servings
Preparation
- Mince together the onion, cilantro, jalapeño and bell pepper. (If using a food processor, take care not to purée mixture.)
- In a bowl, combine mixture with crab meat, egg, mayonnaise, ginger, curry powder, cumin and salt. Add lemon juice and mix until evenly blended. Add one cup of the bread crumbs, and mix again until well blended.
- Form mixture into two evenly sized balls, squeezing firmly, then press into burger shapes; if any bits come off, mold them back on. Rub cakes on both sides with remaining bread crumbs.
- Cover surface of a 10-inch skillet with oil; turn heat to medium-high and, a minute later, gently slide crab cakes into pan. Lower heat to medium, and cook until golden brown. Carefully flip them over and brown the other side; total cooking time will be about 10 minutes. Serve with an India pale ale.
30 minutes
Dining and Cooking